W Series Vehicle Scheduler

About This Role

As a W-Series Vehicle Scheduler, you will develop, analyze, and maintain integrated vehicle schedules for Varda Space's growing fleet as the company scales its product lines toward more advanced mission objectives and an increasing operational cadence. Reporting directly to the VP, W-Series Vehicles, you will identify critical path drivers across subsystems engineering, systems integration and test, supply chain, and production, supporting Varda's target of 12+ vehicles per year. You will own baseline schedule development for vehicle block upgrades and sustain recurring reentry vehicle schedules.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and analyze integrated master schedules (IMS) in Microsoft Project or equivalent tooling across the W-Series Vehicle fleet
• Partner with Vehicle Systems, Integration and Test leadership, and engineering task leads to translate scope into executable plans aligned with budget and technical objectives
• Identify critical path, near-critical activities, and key schedule drivers to support informed decision-making
• Lead weekly schedule updates, status collection, and forecast adjustments; clearly communicate risks, impacts, and recovery options
• Support baseline development, re-baselining efforts, engineering change cut-ins, and change management activities throughout the program lifecycle
• Assist the VP, W-Series Vehicles and Finance with monthly earned value metrics, including mission-related spend and non-recurring and recurring engineering labor
• Perform schedule quality checks and health assessments in accordance with industry best practices and Varda standards
• Drive scheduling process improvements through standardization, automation, and tool enhancements
• Ensure schedules are defensible, audit-ready, and aligned with leadership expectations
• Support program reviews and provide scheduling expertise to facilitate decision-making

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. with emphasis in Project Management or related field
• 8+ years of experience in mission, space vehicle, or production scheduling
• Expertise in schedule management tools, including MS Project and Smartsheet
• Proficiency in manufacturing resource planning (MRP) tools
• Strong communication and collaboration skills in a cross-functional environment

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in a fast-paced aerospace or technology startup environment
• Background in space or aviation hardware production
• Familiarity with streamlined earned value management methods and tools

Pay Range

• Salary Range: $125,000 - $190,000/per year
• This role is on-site in 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

Benefits

• Consider your benefits covered for launch.
• At Varda, we invest in benefits and perks that support your health, financial well-being, and life beyond work.
• Benefits vary by position, with packages designed specifically for our regular full-time employees and interns.

Regular Full-Time Positions: 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

Intern Positions: Health & Wellness

• Paid observed holidays

Financial

• $20/pay period cell phone reimbursement
• Up to $4,000 gross up in relocation support, if eligible
• Up to $850 commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible

Workplace Experience & Perks

• Complimentary EV charging

ITAR Requirements

Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our policy is to only hire "U.S. persons" who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license.

"US person" means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum).