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Job description
Head Of Production
Lead the production team to meet increasing vehicle production cadence targets and build space vehicles alongside a growing team.
Location: Los Angeles
Compensation: $175,000 - 223,600 USD / year
Job Tags: Product
About The Role
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.
About This Role
As the Head of Production you will own Varda's ability to meet increasing vehicle production cadence targets. The Head of Production at Varda is responsible for the end‑to‑end production workflow from piece parts to vehicle launch with the key performance metric of cadence. The role will create and execute on the production plans for Varda's evolving vehicle's capabilities then monitor, report, and forecast demands on the facility, tooling, and personnel. The role will lead the team tasked with iterative improvement in both quality and takt time over each vehicle build from subassemblies through launch. This role will be responsible for hiring talented individuals for the fastest growing organization as Varda scales to meet customer demand. Ultimately, the Head of Production will be excited to build space vehicles alongside a growing team!
Responsibilities
Deliver evolving vehicles on time, or early, at increasing cadence
Provide technical direction to improve team and build processes to scale toward increasing build rate
Lead growing team of technicians and manufacturing engineers, including performance management
Monitor, report, and forecast production demands for facility, tooling, and personnel needs
Assess cost of increasing work cell capabilities and proposing plans to increase internal capabilities
Weigh production priorities in context of company goals
Identify and resolve non‑conformance issues
Implement data tracking for production and quality metrics to inform requirements to hit production targets
Timely build, assembly, repair, and test of components, subassemblies, and vehicles in a cleanroom environment to hit production targets
Create, maintain, and execute production plans
Assess and hire skill sets needed
Create and execute training programs
Proactively coordinate with engineering and supply chain to improve the vehicle and/or schedules
Review work instructions to make change recommendations when required and identify tooling/training gaps
Own and improve production environment
Basic Qualifications
B.S. degree in engineering or 8+ years of experience in a final assembly production environment
3+ years of production management experience
Teamwork, communication (verbal and written), and problem solving in a collaborative environment
Proven experience working on complex technical programs, preferably within aerospace or related industries
Strong first principles thinking
Hands‑on experience building complex vehicles
Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs.
Must be comfortable bending, stooping, and standing
Hands‑on position may require standing for up to 6 hours a day and working directly with hardware on the floor
Preferred Skills And Experience
Knowledge of aerospace vehicle systems
Experience with project management of the full lifecycle of a project
Capability to solve complex problems autonomously as an individual or as a member of an integrated team
Experience moving teams and processes from development to production
Ability to read engineering drawings and schematics
Experience with aerospace hardware development practices (e.g., qualification testing practices, cleanliness, ESD, grounding, etc.)
Experience across structures, propulsion, and/or avionics production
Prior work in a technical leadership role for a launch vehicle or satellite development effort
Experience with Unigraphics NX or similar CAD software
Pay Range
$175,000 - $223,600
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
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.
'U.S. 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.)
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.
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Worksite address
los angeles, CA, 90079, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.