Mission Operations Internship - Summer 2027

Location: El Segundo, California, United States Department: Internship

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. Varda’s W-Series vehicles are built, designed, and operated by Varda in-house, including the pharmaceutical processing payloads, the capsules, the C-PICA heat shields, and the satellite buses.

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 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.

About This Role

Summer internships will range between the months of May and August.  All dates dependent upon the university schedule of the selected students. Internships are full-time and on-site in Los Angeles, CA. To be considered for this internship, candidates must be actively enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program.

The Mission Operations team is responsible for developing, planning, and executing Varda's on-orbit missions.  Members of this team need to be a jack-of-all trades, capable of applying cross-discipline engineering to bespoke solutions.  For this role, you will work alongside experienced Mission Directors and multiple engineering teams to conceptualize, develop, and standup web tools that will support our rapidly growing flight manifest.

Internships at Varda are optimal for students looking to grow technically and professionally while working on impactful projects critical to the company’s success. You will be working on a collaborative team in a startup environment while being able to learn from some of most accomplished and experienced aerospace professionals in the world. We’re dedicated to providing an experience that will let your decisions and contributions help drive Varda’s success.

Responsibilities

Operate as an integrated member of Varda’s Mission Operations team

Own the full-stack development life cycle of internal tools used in spacecraft and payload operations

Develop, test, and deploy web-based applications to support automation and scalability as mission cadence increases

Contribute to system verification, infrastructure integration, and debugging of mission-critical code

Collaborate across engineering teams to build and implement the first-use cases of your tools

Support mission operations in real time as your code is deployed in live spaceflight environments

Basic Qualifications

Full-stack coding experience with web development languages such as:

Python, Java, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, C, C++, nginx

Experience deploying, executing, and debugging server-based applications

Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field

Coursework in:

Python programming, full-stack development, orbital mechanics (CS + Aero background preferred)

Preferred Skills And Experience

Experience building scalable web applications

Understanding of software data management and scaling techniques

Experience applying code to aerospace systems or complex, high-reliability environments

Familiarity with Continuous Integration pipelines and Linux environments

Previous internship, co-op, or real-world development experience

Hands-on project team experience (e.g. CubeSat, Solar Car, Formula SAE, etc.)

Compensation

Hourly Rate: $37.00

Housing stipend for interns relocating to the area

Commuter benefit to support local transportation

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

100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options