Supply Chain 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.  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 As a Supply Chain Manager (also known as Buyer/Planner/Commodity Manager/Sourcing Manager), you will play a critical role in ensuring the seamless planning and procurement of high-quality space systems components. In this fast-paced, dynamic environment, you'll work closely with engineering, production, and quality teams to source, evaluate, and manage suppliers of specified commodities used in spacecraft assembly, propulsion systems, and other space hardware. You will be responsible for managing the end-to-end planning and procurement process—from identifying quantities, potential suppliers, negotiating contracts, and ensuring on-time deliveries. As Varda continues to innovate and expand, your ability to source parts that adhere to strict performance and reliability criteria will directly contribute to the success of our mission to bring space-based manufacturing into the next era. Responsibilities Send RFQs, place POs, run open order report meetings with key suppliers. Develop understanding of supplier capacity, lead times, and cost trends Work closely with supply chain engineering to develop a preferred supplier network to minimize cost and lead time Work closely with design engineering teams to understand upcoming design releases and part changes Build strong relationships with suppliers and negotiate pricing and lead times to meet mission milestones Identify part supply constraints that may impact production schedule and create mitigation plans Maintain part and planning master data to accurately reflect lead-times and stock levels Support purchasing of various commodities and inventory operations as needed Basic Qualifications 5+ years of experience in supply chain management Bachelor’s degree in the field of Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or Finance Experience translating engineering designs into demand and supply plans Extensive experience using MES/ERP software Highly effective relationship building skills, and the ability to interact and work effectively with many levels of employees and suppliers Willingness to travel up to 50% of the time Preferred Qualifications Strong knowledge of one or more of the following commodities: plastics machining, mechanisms, or propulsion Highly adept understanding of common manufacturing processes and machines including mills, lathes, waterjet, laser cutters, sheet metal fabrication, etc Pay Range Salary range: $125,000 - $169,000/per year Leveling and 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  This role is on-site   in El Segundo, CA 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