Supply Chain Manager

Varda Space Industries • El Segundo, CA

13h • 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 Asparouthov 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.

Requirements

• 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

Nice To Haves

• 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

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

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: Mid Level