Production Coordinator

About this role

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

Position Summary

The Production Coordinator supports the planning, coordination, and execution of satellite hardware builds from subassembly manufacturing through final vehicle integration and test. This role serves as a central point of communication for day-to-day build activities, tracks progress and constraints, and helps keep satellite manufacturing and integration work moving safely, efficiently, and on schedule.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate work order release and movement of satellite components, payloads, and vehicle assembly.

• Maintain production schedules through the coordination of planning and shortage management in the sub-assembly and vehicle build.

• Create inventory requests based on production work orders and replacement parts.

• Proactively identify and communicate risks and production constraints to the leadership team escalating as required.

• Track and expedite hardware through subassembly build, inspection, test, and final integration in support of production schedules

• Work with Supply Chain and Inventory teams to identify missing or late hardware.

• Provide clear production status updates to leadership and cross-functional teams.

• Lead or support daily production meetings, readiness reviews, and schedule updates.

• Assist with production planning for multiple vehicles or missions operating at different stages of completion.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.

• Two or more years of experience in aerospace, defense, automotive or another highly dynamic manufacturing environment.

• Experience supporting manufacturing, production, assembly, integration, test, or production planning activities.

• Strong organizational, communication, and follow-up skills.

• Ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced production environment.

• Experience using production tracking, scheduling, inventory, ERP, MES, Jira, or similar systems.

• Working knowledge of configuration control, traceability, inspections, nonconformances, and production documentation.

• Ability to work effectively with a cross-functional team

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to safety, quality, and schedule performance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with satellite, spacecraft, launch vehicle, or payload manufacturing and integration.

• Ability to read and understand engineering drawings, bills of material, work instructions, specifications, and production schedules.

• Familiarity with avionics, electrical harnesses, propulsion systems, mechanical assemblies, structures, thermal systems, or fluid systems.

• Knowledge of aerospace workmanship standards and flight-hardware handling requirements.

• Experience supporting production readiness reviews, build planning, vehicle integration, or test operations.

Skills and Competencies

• Production coordination

• Schedule and priority management

• Cross-functional communication

• Hardware and material tracking

• Risk and constraint identification

• Documentation and configuration control

• Problem-solving and escalation

• Teamwork and accountability

• Attention to detail

• Ability to work with limited supervision

Pay Range

• $30 to $40 per hour

• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA

• Leveling and pay range 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

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 re

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