University Recruiter

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. Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses.

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

Varda is looking for a University Recruiter to help scale our growing university recruiting and internship program. This role will own approximately 50% of Varda’s university recruiting requisition load, managing candidates from application through offer while partnering closely with hiring managers across engineering and business teams. The University Relations Manager will own the remaining recruiting load alongside overall university strategy, partnerships, workforce planning, and program leadership. We’re looking for someone who is equally strong behind the recruiting desk and on campus. You should be an experienced university recruiter who can identify and assess exceptional earlycareer talent, build strong relationships with students and universities, and bring the energy and personality that gets students excited about Varda.

Who You Are

You’re an experienced university recruiter who genuinely enjoys being on campus and engaging with students.

You have a captivating, outgoing personality and can naturally connect with people—whether you’re speaking to a room full of engineering students, working a career fair booth, meeting with a student organization, or having a one-on-one conversation with a candidate.

You also know how to recruit. You’re comfortable sourcing through LinkedIn, managing pipelines in Greenhouse, conducting recruiter screens, assessing technical talent, partnering with hiring managers, and independently driving candidates from application through close.

You understand that great university recruiting is about more than filling requisitions. You know how to build lasting university relationships, identify exceptional students early, and turn campus engagement into long-term talent pipelines.

Most importantly, you bring the type of presence that makes students remember Varda after we leave campus.

Responsibilities

• Own approximately 50% of Varda’s university recruiting requisition load, independently managing assigned searches from application through offer.
• Source and identify exceptional early-career talent using LinkedIn Recruiter, Handshake, university networks, referrals, student organizations, engineering competitions, and targeted outreach.
• Review resumes, conduct recruiter screens, assess candidates, manage interview processes and debriefs, and drive offers through close.
• Partner directly with hiring managers and engineering leaders to understand hiring needs, define candidate profiles, build pipelines, and drive timely hiring decisions.
• Manage candidate pipelines and recruiting activity in Greenhouse, ensuring accurate data and consistent candidate follow-up.
• Represent Varda at career fairs, information sessions, networking events, student organization meetings, technical events, and campus visits.
• Build meaningful relationships with students and create excitement around Varda’s mission, opportunities, and engineering challenges.
• Partner with the University Relations Manager to execute Varda’s university strategy across target schools and strategic university partnerships.
• Develop relationships with career centers, faculty, student organizations, engineering clubs, research programs, and other university stakeholders.
• Help identify new universities, organizations, programs, and sourcing channels that can strengthen Varda’s early-career talent pipeline.
• Partner with the University Recruiting Intern on interview scheduling, candidate coordination, campus logistics, recruiting operations, and intern-program execution.
• Use recruiting metrics and pipeline data to identify opportunities to improve recruiting effectiveness and candidate experience.

Basic Qualifications

• Previous university recruiting experience, including direct experience recruiting and engaging college students.
• 2–5 years of recruiting experience with demonstrated full-cycle recruiting ownership.
• Experience independently managing multiple requisitions and candidate pipelines simultaneously.
• Hands-on experience with Greenhouse or a similar Applicant Tracking System.
• Experience using LinkedIn Recruiter for sourcing, outreach, and pipeline development.
• Experience partnering directly with universities, career centers, student organizations, faculty, or other campus stakeholders.
• Experience representing an employer at career fairs, information sessions, networking events, or other campus recruiting activities.
• Strong candidate assessment and interviewing skills.
• Experience partnering directly with hiring managers and technical stakeholders.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to travel approximately 30–40% during peak university recruiting seasons, including occasional evening and weekend events.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience recruiting within aerospace, space, defense, or another highly technical engineering environment.
• Experience recruiting across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Experience supporting a high-volume university recruiting or internship program.
• Experience with Handshake or similar university recruiting platforms.
• Established relationships with engineering universities, career centers, or student organizations.
• Experience with university employer branding and campus engagement.
• Experience using recruiting metrics and funnel data to improve recruiting strategy and performance.

Compensation & Location

• Base Salary: $90,000 - $120,000/per year
• Leveling and base salary are determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards

Consider your benefits covered for launch. At Varda, we invest in benefits and perks that support your health, financial well-being, and life beyond work. Benefits vary by position, with packages designed specifically for our regular full-time employees and interns.

Regular Full-Time Positions:

• 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
• Voluntaryaccident, hospital, critical illness,andpet insurance
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
• 12weeks ofparental leave(with supplemental disability leavefor CAmothers)
• SponsoredOne Medicalmemberships for employees and their dependents
• Substantial incentive equityin a fully funded space start-up
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediatelyvested)
• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Relocation supportfor new hires, if needed

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
• Company and team-bonding events, happyhoursand mission-success celebrations
• Complimentary EV charging

Intern Positions:

• 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options
• $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses
• Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents
• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Up to $4,000gross up in relocation support, ifeligible
• Up to $850commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
• Company and team-bonding events, happyhoursand mission-success celebrations
• Complimentary EV charging

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. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our 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).

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.

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.