Principal Scientist, Analytical Sciences

About Varda

Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules.

From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind.

Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital.

Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. Varda also has offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.

Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

About this Role

Our pharmaceutical R&D team is looking for a highly motivated and creative Principal Scientist, Analytical Sciences who will lead efforts in improving therapeutics with microgravity. This is an opportunity in an exciting area of growth for Varda, the role will shape Varda’s product culture and will play a significant role in establishing the low earth orbit economy.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize and validate analytical methods for characterizing biologic and small molecule drug substances and drug products using LC-MS and other biophysical analytical techniques
• Participate in project planning, resource mapping, and timeline planning to ensure product development and flight schedules are maintained.
• Act as a program responsible engineer who will direct and lead all analytical and product development activities for internal and external projects
• Carry out hands-on experiments and work with external testing sites to fully characterize drug substances and drug products by a wide range of assays including GC/LC-MS, DLS, DSC, ELISA, CD, FT-IR, NMR, SEC, IEX, CE-SDS and icIEF
• Lead and train a small team of junior scientists in technical development and ensuring high quality analytical data is produced by Varda
• Collaborate closely with product development, formulation sciences, and broader engineering groups to drive drug development activities and maintain flight schedule cadence
• Author corresponding documents such as R&D and GMP methods, study protocols, validation reports, and regulatory filings as needed
• Research technological advancements and generate novel approaches to solving analytical challenges around crystalline suspensions
• Train and troubleshoot methods that have been developed and transferred to routine testing and automation scientists for high throughput data analysis and quick data turnaround

Basic Qualifications

• M.S., or Ph. D. degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related fields
• 6+ years of experience with Ph.D., 9+ years of experience with M.S.
• Track record of developing methods for use in regulated filings and workflows

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Ph. D in Analytical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical, or Biotechnology degree, with 7+ years of pharmaceutical industry experience developing characterization methods for biologics and small molecule APIs used in regulatory filings (NDA, BLA, IND, etc.).
• Extensive experience in developing, optimizing, and troubleshooting intact, subunit, and peptide map LC-MS analysis of complex biologics according to ICH guidelines
• Experience with UV, DLS, DSF, NMR, CD, FTIR, Raman, and particle sizing technologies
• Experience with chromatographic and affinity-based methods (HPLC/UPLC, LC-MS/MS, SEC-MALS, GC-MS, CE-SDS, icIEF, SDS-PAGE)
• Track record of method development as demonstrated by publications in peer-reviewed journals, IND/BLA/NDA filings, and presentations at scientific conferences
• Experience as the responsible engineer or technical owner of projects across project lifecycle

Pay Range

• Salary Range: $170,000.00 - $215,000.00/per year
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards

Varda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

Benefits

Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well‑being, and a high‑quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full‑time employees receive (at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):

Health & Wellness

• Flexible PTO policy + 12 paid holidays
• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
• Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
• 12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)
• Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic
• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents

Financial & Retirement

• Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested)
• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Relocation support for new hires, if needed

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
• Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
• Complimentary EV charging
• Dog-friendly office space 🐕

ITAR Requirements

Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. At present, some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than “U.S. Persons” as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our current policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license.

“US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum in the U.S.)

Learn more about the ITAR here.

E-Verify Statement

Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.

E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice

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