Senior Scientist, Analytical Sciences

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and validate analytical methods for characterizing biologic and small molecule drug substances and products using LC-MS and other biophysical techniques
• Participate in project planning, resource mapping, and timeline scheduling to maintain product development and flight schedules
• Carry out hands-on experiments and collaborate with external testing sites to fully characterize drug substances
• Train junior scientists on analytical techniques and ensure high-quality data production
• Collaborate with product development, formulation sciences, and engineering groups to drive drug development activities
• Author technical documents including methods, protocols, validation reports, and regulatory filings

Requirements

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field
• 3+ years of experience with a Ph.D. or 6+ years of experience with an M.S.
• Proven track record of developing analytical methods for use in regulated filings and workflows
• U.S. Person status (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual) for ITAR compliance

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical, or Biotechnology with 4+ years of industry experience
• Extensive experience in intact, subunit, and peptide map LC-MS analysis of complex biologics
• Proficiency with UV, DLS, DSF, NMR, CD, FTIR, Raman, and particle sizing technologies
• Experience with chromatographic and affinity-based methods (HPLC/UPLC, LC-MS/MS, SEC-MALS, GC-MS, CE-SDS, icIEF, SDS-PAGE)
• Experience acting as a technical owner or responsible engineer across a project lifecycle

Benefits

• Equity in a fully funded space startup
• 401(k) matching
• Unlimited PTO
• Health insurance, including Vision and Dental
• On-site lunch and snacks daily, with dinners provided twice a week
• Maternity and Paternity leave

About the Company

Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind by creating the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth.