Pharmaceutical Marketing & Strategy Internship - Summer 2026

Varda Space Industries • El Segundo, CA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

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. Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem. About This Role Summer internships will range between the months of May and August. All dates dependent upon the university schedule of the selected students. Internships are full-time and on-site in Los Angeles, CA. Internships at Varda are designed for students who want to work on high-impact, strategically meaningful projects that directly influence the company’s growth. You will work cross-functionally with Marketing and Pharma Business Development leadership to build foundational insights that shape how Varda engages the pharmaceutical industry. This role has evolved from a traditional social media internship into a focused, research-driven marketing strategy position supporting Varda’s pharma initiatives. As a Pharma Marketing & Strategy Intern, you will develop a clear, evidence-based understanding of who Varda’s pharmaceutical audiences are, what they care about, and how Varda should speak to them. Your work will directly inform marketing materials, business development conversations, conference strategy, website messaging, and partner outreach. If you are excited about the intersection of space-enabled manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and strategic storytelling, this role offers the opportunity to produce work that the company will immediately use to drive revenue and partnerships.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in Marketing, Business, Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biotechnology, or a related field
• Strong research and analytical skills with the ability to synthesize complex industry information
• Excellent writing and communication skills with attention to clarity, tone, and structure
• Interest in pharmaceuticals, biotech, advanced manufacturing, or deep tech
• Ability to work independently on ambiguous, strategy-oriented projects

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with pharmaceutical R&D, CMC, manufacturing, or drug development workflows
• Experience conducting market research or persona development
• Comfort analyzing industry materials such as earnings calls, conference programs, or technical publications
• Strong organizational skills and experience building structured research systems (e.g., Airtable, Notion, spreadsheets)
• Strategic thinker with the ability to connect technical capabilities to commercial outcomes

Responsibilities

• Audience & Landscape Research Conduct deep research into pharmaceutical organizational structures, leadership roles, and decision-making processes.
• Analyze earnings calls, public interviews, conference talks, published papers, and partnership announcements to understand industry priorities.
• Study pharma conference agendas (CMC, formulation, advanced manufacturing, process development) to identify key audience archetypes.
• Research small molecule development challenges, especially solubility, crystallization, dosing, and scalability bottlenecks.
• Persona Development Develop 3–4 deeply researched pharmaceutical personas representing high-value target audiences, such as:
• Pharma R&D leadership CMC and Technical Operations leaders Advanced manufacturing and process development teams Innovation, strategic R&D, and external partnership groups
• For each persona, define:
• Role and organizational context Decision-making authority and influence Core goals and performance metrics Pain points and bottlenecks How Varda’s technology provides value today and in the future Messaging guidance, proof points, and outreach channels
• Strategic Messaging & Application Translate persona insights into actionable marketing outputs.
• Provide language guidance that resonates with each persona and identify language to avoid.
• Outline how Varda should position itself for early-stage small molecule teams facing solubility and formulation challenges.
• Identify where and how each persona is most likely to encounter Varda (conferences, venture introductions, publications, partnerships).
• Deliverables & Implementation Present findings at the end of the summer to Varda Marketing, Pharma, and Business Development leadership.
• Produce 3–4 written persona profiles (1–2 slides each) and a summary comparison table.
• Build and maintain an Airtable database tracking key individuals, communication channels, conferences, webinars, publications, and industry touchpoints.
• In addition, select 1–2 applied outputs such as:
• Rewrite a section of the Varda pharma website for a specific persona.
• Draft a targeted pharma microsite concept.
• Create a one-page pharma explainer.
• Develop a persona-specific LinkedIn post or short article.
• Outline a pharma-relevant case study or thought-leadership piece.

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)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern