Senior Scientist, Analytical Sciences

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.  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 Our pharmaceutical R&D team is looking for highly motivated and creative Senior Scientist, Analytical Sciences who will lead efforts in improving therapeutics with microgravity. This is an opportunity in an exciting area of growth for Varda, the role will shape Varda’s product culture and will play a significant role in establishing the low earth orbit economy. Responsibilities Develop, optimize and validate analytical methods for characterizing biologic and small molecule drug substances and drug products using LC-MS and other biophysical analytical techniques   Participate in project planning, resource mapping, and timeline scheduling to ensure product development and flight schedules are maintained.   Carry out hands-on experiments and work with external testing sites to fully characterize drug substances and drug products   Train junior scientists on techniques and ensure high quality analytical data is produced by Varda   Collaborate closely with product development, formulation sciences, and broader engineering groups to drive drug development activities    Author relevant documents such as methods, protocols, validation reports, and regulatory filings as needed   Basic Qualifications M.S., or Ph. D. degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related fields   3+ years of experience with Ph.D., 6+ years of experience with M.S.   Track record of developing methods for use in regulated filings and workflows   Preferred Skills and Experience Ph. D in Analytical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical, or Biotechnology degree, with 4+ years of pharmaceutical industry experience developing characterization methods for biologics and small molecule APIs.   Extensive experience in developing, optimizing, and troubleshooting intact, subunit, and peptide map LC-MS analysis of complex biologics   Experience with UV, DLS, DSF, NMR, CD, FTIR, Raman, and particle sizing technologies   Experience with chromatographic and affinity-based methods (HPLC/UPLC, LC-MS/MS, SEC-MALS, GC-MS, CE-SDS, icIEF, SDS-PAGE)   Track record of method development as demonstrated by publications in peer-reviewed journals, IND/BLA/NDA filings, and presentations at scientific conferences   Experience as the responsible engineer or technical owner of projects across project lifecycle    Pay Range Salary Range: $140,000.00 - $180,000.00/per year 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 Benefits Varda offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health, financial well‑being, and a high‑quality workplace experience. Below is an overview of what full‑time employees receive (at this time, interns receive a subset of benefits):   Health & Wellness   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 Voluntary accident, hospital, critical illness, and pet insurance   $120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses   12 weeks of parental leave (with supplemental disability leave for CA mothers)   Family building, pregnancy, parenting and menopause benefits via Maven Clinic   Sponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents   Financial & Retirement   Substantial incentive equity in a fully funded space start-up   401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested) $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement   Relocation support for new hires, if needed   Workplace Experience & Perks   Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly   Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations Complimentary EV charging Dog-friendly office space 🐕   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. 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 technolo