About this RoleOur pharmaceutical team is looking for a highly motivated and effective Manager who will lead the Crystallization Screening Team towards our efforts in improving therapeutics with microgravity. This is an opportunity in an exciting area of growth for Varda, where you will get to shape Varda's biopharma culture and will play a significant role in establishing the low Earth orbit economy.
Responsibilities- Oversee crystallization screening and characterization of molecules for microgravity opportunities across a diverse range of modalities including small molecules and biologics.
- Supporting the team in advancing the field of microgravity crystallizationt, while adopting best practices in drug substance development, including adoption of automation technologies to accelerate development timelines.
- Supporting and advancing collaborations with external partners, CROs, and vendors.
- Ensuring alignment of research and development activities, budgets, and timelines to company goals and initiatives, together with project organization and tracking to ensure projects deliverables meet timeline expectations.
- Effectively managing interfaces across the pharmaceutical development groups.
Basic Qualifications- Ph. D, degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related fields and 4+ years of relevant industry experience or M.S., degree in related fields and 8+ years of relevant industry experience.
- Hands-on experience with either polymorph screening of small molecules or crystallization of biologics.
- Strong foundation in materials science, organic chemistry, protein chemistry and/or physical biochemistry principles.
- Demonstrated ability to set technical direction and deliver results.
- Proficiency with data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, GraphPad Prism, Python, or R).
- Demonstrated ability to work independently with strong organizational skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Alongside breadth, demonstrated depth of technical expertise and scientific leadership in at least one modality and aspect of drug substance development (analytical, crystallization, process engineering, or drug product development).
- Experience managing external partnerships.
- Exceptional organizational and project management capabilities.
Preferred Skills and Experience- Ph. D, degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related fields and 8+ years of relevant industry experience or M.S., degree in related fields and 12+ years of relevant industry experience.
- Experience in crystallography and relevant analytical techniques including XRPD, TGA, DSC, ED, cryo EM.
- 2+ years of prior people-management experience.
- Track record of scientific achievement as demonstrated by publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific conferences.
- Demonstrated expertise in new technology development (platform, modality, or process).
- Experience applying quality by design, or statistical process engineering methodologies in a research & development environment to ensure structured development strategies.
- Experience establishing and enforcing technical and programmatic standards.
- Exceptional communication ability with diverse technical and executive audiences.
Pay Range- Salary range: $160,000 - $190,000/per year
- This role is on-sitein 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 incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards
BenefitsVarda 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 reimbursement
- Relocation support for new hires, if needed
Workplace Experience & Perks - Fully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly
- Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations
- Complimentary EV charging
