Marketing Associate
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 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
Varda is looking for a Marketing Associate. The position is full-time and on-site in Los Angeles, CA.
The Marketing Associate will be responsible for helping on campaigns and strategies projecting Varda's mission and image. This role is optimal for someone looking to grow technically and professionally while working on impactful projects critical to the company’s success. You will be working on a collaborative team in a startup environment while being able to learn from some of most accomplished and experienced aerospace professionals in the world. We’re dedicated to providing an experience that will let your decisions and contributions help drive Varda’s success.
Why This Role Exists
Varda is scaling pharmaceutical manufacturing beyond Earth’s gravity; the story is every bit as bold as the engineering. As our first dedicated Marketing Associate you’ll be the connective tissue linking brand, product, and exec teams—making sure every launch, announcement, and meme lands with consistency, energy, and precision. You’ll love it here if you thrive on high ownership, rapid iteration, and a culture where no problem is too great and no detail too small.
What You’ll Do
Story & Content
- Ship social posts, threads, shorts, and long-form pieces multiple times per week that translate complex science into share-worthy narratives.
- Maintain a rolling 90-day content calendar and jump on real-time opportunities around launches, policy news, and cultural moments.
- Seamlessly weave and coordinate Varda’s narrative between Pharma, DoD and Civil Space
- Own branding, design, and copy across Varda’s digital properties, including web, social, and online store.
Visual Design
- Assist in managing and coordinating external design consultants
- Turn raw flight footage, lab shots, and CAD renders into crisply edited videos, motion graphics, and infographics.
- Own and evolve the brand template library
- Design and operationalize Varda’s regular swag and merch.
Events & Experiential
- Coordinate end-to-end logistics for trade shows, investor demos, and STEM outreach.
- Become an expert at timeline management, vendors, lead capture, and post-event reporting.
Analytics & Optimization
- Track channel KPIs (engagement, reach, CPC, share-of-voice) and benchmark against peers in aerospace, defense, and life sciences.
- A/B test creative, iterate quickly, and publish insights company-wide.
Ops & Knowledge Management
- Build and maintain a searchable Airtable/Confluence media vault for photos, b-roll, keynote decks, and press kits.
- Spin up lightweight Jira boards to keep cross-functional stakeholders unblocked.
You Might Be a Fit if You...
- Basic Requirements and Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications OR a Bachelor’s degree in an engineering field related to Varda’s business and a proven track record for excellent science communication.
- 1+ years of marketing experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential.
- Extensive experience in creating and curating social media content on multiple platforms using photography, motion graphics, and video.
- Expert knowledge of relevant software for video and photo editing.
- Familiarity with relevant software for scheduling, tracking analytics and social listening.
- Some experience in events management or project management is preferred but not required.
- Proven ability to interact and work effectively with many levels of personnel across the organization.
- Proven ability to handle many projects at once, be unfazed by context switching, and be unafraid to speak up and execute big ideas.
Bonus Points
- Experience in aerospace, defense, biotech, or another hardware-heavy, regulated sector.
- Familiarity with product-led B2B growth tactics
- Event-marketing chops—booth design, on-site AV, sponsorship negotiations.
- An eye for motion graphics
Pay Range
- Pay Range: $75,000- $90,000/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
- Offer compensation also includes the ability to receive stock options under the Company's Equity Incentive Plan.
ITAR Requirements
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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.
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.
E-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice