Security Manager

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 Space

X, 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.

Varda supports a diverse and pioneering customer base—from pharmaceutical companies developing novel therapies in microgravity, to government agencies pushing the limits of microgravity, hypersonic reentry and advanced flight testing. These customers operate at the forefront of science and technology, and their missions drive our security requirements to be equally cutting‑edge, robust, and adaptable.

As a Security Manager at Varda, you will be responsible for safeguarding the integrity of our missions and the sensitive data entrusted to us. You will lead the development and enforcement of security protocols that meet or exceed the expectations of our customers, who demand the highest standards due to the critical and sometimes classified nature of their work. This role requires close collaboration across mission management, business development, engineering and operations teams to ensure security is embedded throughout the lifecycle—from early customer engagement through launch, operations, and recovery.

Your work will be instrumental in enabling our customers to innovate with confidence in some of the most challenging environments imaginable.

We are seeking a Security Manager to build and lead our security program from the ground up to ensure compliance with DoD, Intelligence Community and other customer‑driven security requirements. This role will shape all things security at Varda – from managing our Facility Security Clearances (FCLs), Personnel Security Clearances (PCLs), and Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) to leading Communications Security (COMSEC), and Program Protection Plans (PPPs).

This is a foundational role where you will define and implement security protocols, ensuring compliance with requirements while enabling our team to move quickly and iterate.

• Serve as Facility Security Officer (FSO) overseeing our facility clearance, personnel clearances, including training, administrative and compliance requirements and ensuring we have the right tools to do the job.
• Lead physical security operations across office, R&D, manufacturing and recovery spaces, ensuring adherence to national security standards.
• Manage our COMSEC program to protect classified communications.
• Serve as the ITPSO (Insider Threat Program Security Officer), developing a robust program to deter, detect and mitigate insider threats to critical information.
• Serve as the primary security expert with government agencies and partners, establishing classification levels, and defining storage and transmission protocols for classified information or hardware.
• Expand and accredit SCIFs and classified production facilities, working closely with internal teams and government stakeholders to support evolving mission needs.
• Collaborate with IT and Information Assurance teams to support current CUI requirements and plan for and…