Recruiting Manager

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

Varda is building the world’s first space-based manufacturing platform, and hiring is a critical lever in how we scale.

We are looking for a Recruiting Manager (Lead) to elevate how recruiting operates by driving clarity, consistency, and performance across a small team of recruiters while continuing to operate as a high-impact individual contributor.

This is not a traditional people management role. You will be responsible for how recruiting work gets done, the quality and speed of output, and mentoring the team to perform at a high level.

You will operate in a player-coach model, owning your own requisitions while ensuring the broader team is delivering. You will also be part of a Recruiting leadership group, working in close partnership with other Recruiting Managers and People leadership to drive alignment, consistency, and overall hiring performance across the company.

What You’ll Own

Recruiting Leadership (Player-Coach Model)

· Lead day-to-day execution across a team of 2–4 recruiting professionals

· Set the standard for how recruiting is done (speed, quality, candidate experience)

· Drive consistency across roles, pipelines, and hiring manager partnerships

· Mentor recruiters through real-time coaching, feedback, and calibration

· Step in where needed to unblock, stabilize, or accelerate searches

Hiring Outcomes & Execution

· Own hiring outcomes across your area—not just individual requisitions

· Personally manage 4–8 requisitions, depending on role complexity and business needs

· Ensure roles are progressing against expectations (e.g., 65-day time-to-fill)

· Diagnose and address gaps in funnel health, conversion, and pipeline quality

· Partner closely with hiring managers to align on profiles, process, and expectations

· Take on the most complex, high-priority, or at-risk searches

Hiring Manager Partnership

· Act as a thought partner and operator to technical and business leaders

· Set clear expectations on process, timelines, and candidate quality

· Push back when needed to maintain hiring standards and velocity

· Improve decision-making through structured interviews and feedback loops

Process & Systems

· Drive improvements to recruiting processes to increase speed, quality, and predictability

· Ensure disciplined use of systems (Greenhouse, reporting, interview workflows)

· Identify and implement high-leverage improvements (e.g., panel design, feedback cycles, sourcing strategies)

· Use data to inform decisions and correct course quickly

Market & Talent Expertise

· Maintain strong knowledge of technical talent markets (especially software + deep tech)

· Guide sourcing strategy and competitive positioning

· Support offer strategy and closing for high-priority hires

What Success Looks Like

· Hiring goals are met with predictability and quality

· Recruiters operate with clarity, consistency, and accountability

· Hiring managers trust recruiting as a strategic partner, not just execution

· You effectively balance owning 4–8 requisitions while elevating team performance

· Processes are streamlined and scalable as the company grows

· You are operating as a force multiplier, not just an individual contributor

Requirements

Must-Haves

· 10+ years of technical recruiting experience (strong IC foundation)

· Experience recruiting for software and/or hardware-centric engineering roles

· Demonstrated ability to operate beyond execution driving strategy, process, and outcomes

· Experience mentoring or leading other recruiters (formally or informally)

· Strong technical fluency; able to engage credibly with engineering candidates and leaders

· Proven ability to manage multiple complex searches in fast-paced environments

Strongly Preferred

· Experience in aerospace, defense, robotics, or deep tech environments

· Experience operating in a player-coach or lead capacity

· Familiarity with recruiting metrics, funnel diagnostics, and performance tracking

· Experience improving recruiting processes or systems at scale

Compensation

· Base Salary Range: $150,000 – $200,000 annually + equity

· Pay Transparency Notice (California): The salary range above represents the Company’s good faith estimate of the base salary for this role at the time of posting, in compliance with California law. The final offer will be determined based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, skills, qualifications, and location, as well as internal equity considerations. This role may also be eligible for additional compensation, including equity and benefits.

ITAR Requirements

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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.

Benefits

• Exciting team of professionals at the top of their field working by your side

• Equity in a fully funded space startup with potential for significant growth (interns excluded)

• 401(k) matching (interns excluded)

• Unlimited PTO (interns excluded)

• Health insurance, including Vision and Dental

• Lunch and snacks provided on site every day. Dinners provided twice a week.

• Maternity / Paternity leave (interns excluded)

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.

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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