Job Description

Director, Business Development Civil Space

Join to apply for the Director, Business Development Civil Space role at Varda Space Industries.

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 lifesaving 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 inspace ecosystem.

About This Role

Varda is building the commercial infrastructure to enable a scalable orbital economy. Our autonomous, reentrycapable satellites unlock new pharmaceutical and advanced R&D pathways in microgravity.

As Director of Business Development for Civil Space, you will drive the strategic shift from legacy ISS/CLDera paradigms towards the adoption of autonomous freeflying platforms across NASA and fastmoving international space agencies. You will shape program demand, influence procurement strategy, and architect multiyear partnerships with government research communities who require microgravity environments and reentry capabilities.

Partnering closely with Vardas Government Affairs, mission management, and spacecraft teams, you will guide the global civil space market toward the next generation microgravity architectureand close the deals that make it real at scale.

This is a fulltime, exempt position located in Washington, D.C. office.

Responsibilities

• Lead Varda's civil space strategy at NASA across Flight Opportunities, CLD transition pathways, and ISS National Lab stakeholders.
• Shape agencylevel demand signals, budget priorities, and future solicitations that incorporate commercial freeflier manufacturing into civil space R&D programs. Provide insight on microgravity utilization policy and researchtoapplication pathways.
• Define, and focus international development efforts on highvelocity, sovereign growth markets, including the Middle East, AsiaPacific, and South America and establish frameworks that integrate Vardas orbital R&D services into national research and industrialinnovation agendas.
• Run capture on priority campaigns from early shaping through award, including developing win themes, teaming strategy, pricing posture, and competitive narratives.
• Partner with Vardas Government Affairs, mission management, and technical teams to craft white papers, policy recommendations, and budget narratives that align civil customer priorities with Vardas capabilities.
• Build seniorlevel relationships across government, academia, sovereign RD&I ministries, and commercial partners to accelerate the adoption of autonomous microgravity platforms.
• Represent Varda externally across the global civil space ecosystem, building global recognition of autonomous inspace manufacturing as the new standard for microgravity research.
• Track emerging budget cycles, space policy direction, and future mission architectures; inform internal investment decisions based on where future demand is formingnot where it already exists.
• Shape frameworks for spacebased research by connecting Vardas technology with academic institutions, innovation agencies, and regulatory bodies building the nextgeneration orbital economy.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or higher in engineering, science, international relations, business, or related field.
• 7+ years experience in civil space, aerospace, advanced R&D, or government engagement space BD/capture.
• Demonstrated experience engaging NASA, the U.S. government, and international civil space agencies on major programs or research initiatives, ideally involving microgravity research or orbital R&D.
• Proven ability to shape, influence, and close complex government or international programs in emerging technology sectors.
• Exceptional written and verbal strategic communication, including policy and technical narrative development.
• Ability to travel up to 50% (domestic + international sovereign markets).
• U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident (ITAR).

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Deep familiarity with NASA programs program structures and evolving commercial frameworks (CLD, Flight Opportunities, ISSNL, SBIR/STTR).
• Established network within Middle East, AsiaPacific, and South American space ministries, spaceflight programs, or sovereign research funding agencies.
• Experience leading policy thought leadership on future commercial space architectures related to orbital R&D, inspace manufacturing, or microgravity utilization frameworks.

Pay Range

• Salary range: $200,000.00 - $220,000.00 per year.
• This role is onsite in Washington, D.C.
• Leveling and base salary is determined by jobrelated skills, education level, experience level, and job performance.
• You will be eligible for longterm incentives in the form of stock options and/or longterm cash awards.
• Offer compensation also includes the ability to purchase company stock through the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

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 exportcontrolled 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 exportcontrolled 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 8U.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, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

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

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