Propulsion Manager

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 (coming soon).

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

You'll lead the Bus Propulsion Systems team and own the propulsion system end to end. This role is equal parts technical leadership and people management. You'll set the technical direction, make system-level decisions, unblock execution, and grow a team of Responsible Engineers as our vehicles and programs scale.

Responsibilities

• Own the System
• Own the top-level Bus Propulsion System: architecture, P&IDs, CAD, performance models, and interfaces.
• Act as the system owner from early design through build, test, and mission operations.
• Lead propulsion trade studies, design decisions, and future vehicle propulsion architecture.

Execute

• Drive change definition and execution across the propulsion system.
• Resolve propulsion-related build, integration, and test issues quickly and decisively.
• Support mission operations, anomalies, and post-flight analysis as needed.
• Balance performance, reliability, schedule, and cost in day-to-day decisions.

Lead the Team

• Manage a growing team of Bus Propulsion REs (currently Cam, Summer, Jaylen, and Cory Adams; more to come).
• Set priorities, technical expectations, and ownership boundaries.
• Coach engineers, review work, and develop future technical leaders.
• Help scale the team and processes without slowing execution.

Work Cross-Functionally

• Partner closely with vehicle, systems, manufacturing, test, and operations teams.
• Represent propulsion in design reviews, program reviews, and leadership discussions.
• Communicate clearly when things are on track—and when they aren't.

What We're Looking For

• Strong hands-on experience with propulsion or complex fluid systems.
• Proven system-level ownership (not just components).
• Experience leading engineers or acting as a technical lead.
• Comfortable making decisions with incomplete data in a fast-moving environment.
• Willing to dive deep when needed and zoom out when required.

Nice to Have

• Spacecraft or launch vehicle bus propulsion experience.
• Direct ownership of P&IDs, system models, and CAD.
• Build, test, or mission ops experience.
• Experience scaling teams in a startup environment.

Why This Role Matters

• You define how propulsion works across our vehicles.
• You build and lead the team that makes it real.
• Your decisions directly impact vehicle performance, reliability, and launch readiness.

• Salary Range: $154, $197,000.00/per year
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• Base salary is 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

• 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.  

• 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.

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.

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