{"id":1587369,"url":"https://alion.io/job/varda-space-industries-formulation-science-internship-summer-2027","title":"Formulation Science Internship - Summer 2027","company":{"id":58875,"name":"Varda Space Industries","domain":"varda.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/varda-space-industries","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":80,"open_postings":24,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":6,"computed_at":"2026-10-30T05:48:23Z"}},"role":"Early Careers","role_family":"Early Careers","seniority":"intern","employment_type":"internship","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"explicit","locations":["El Segundo, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":53000,"max_usd":88000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":408},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Chromatography","optional":false},{"name":"GLP","optional":true},{"name":"GraphPad Prism","optional":true},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":true},{"name":"Python","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-01T06:02:46Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-20","last_verified_at":"2026-10-31T01:58:25Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":29,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":29},"description":"About Varda\nLow 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.\nFrom 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. \nOur 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. \nVarda 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. \nJoin Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.\nSummer 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 El Segundo, CA. To be considered for this internship, candidates must be actively enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program. \nThe Biologics Formulation Research Internship focuses on the analytical characterization and formulation of biologic drug candidates to support the development of stable pharmaceutical products for manufacturing in microgravity. Interns will apply a variety of biophysical and analytical techniques to evaluate protein structure, stability, binding interactions, and performance through formulation and freeze-drying processes. The role combines hands-on laboratory experimentation, scientific data analysis, and close collaboration with formulation scientists to advance next-generation biologic therapeutics.\nInternships 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 the 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.\nResponsibilities\nPerform biophysical characterization of protein candidates using orthogonal analytical techniques to assess structure, stability, and interaction behavior\n\nDesign and execute binding and selection studies between disordered protein stabilizers and microcrystalline pharmaceutical substrates\nEvaluate stabilizer performance through lyophilization and reconstitution cycles, assessing protein integrity before and after freeze-drying stress\nConduct purity and charge variant analysis via SDS-PAGE and capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF)\nPrepare reagents, buffers, and sample sets in advance to ensure experiments run on schedule\nMaintain accurate, well-documented records in laboratory notebooks and electronic systems\nCollaborate with formulation scientists to anticipate laboratory needs and contribute to team meetings and progress updates\nKey Techniques & Methods\nInterns will gain hands-on experience with industry-standard biophysical and analytical tools, including:\nNano differential scanning fluorimetry (nanoDSF)\nAnalytical size exclusion chromatography (SEC)\nDynamic light scattering (DLS)\nCircular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy\nUV spectroscopy\nFluorescence spectroscopy\nSDS-PAGE and capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF)\nSelection and binding studies\nGeneral familiarity with lyophilization and tangential flow filtration (TFF) as they relate to sample preparation and handling\nWhat You'll Learn\nHow to characterize protein and peptide structure, stability, and molecular interactions using multiple orthogonal biophysical techniques\nHow to design and interpret binding and interaction studies between disordered proteins/peptides and crystalline substrates\nHow biophysical characterization connects to formulation strategy and long-term storage stability for biologic drugs\nBest practices in analytical method execution, data interpretation, and scientific documentation in a biotech R&D environment\nBasic Qualifications\nCurrently enrolled in an accredited bachelor's or graduate degree program in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology, or a related field\nPrior hands-on laboratory experience in an academic or industry setting is required\nKnowledge of basic analytical techniques for protein characterization\nStrong attention to detail and ability to follow experimental protocols precisely\nExcellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities\nEffective written and verbal communication skills\nPreferred Skills & Experience\nJunior, Senior, or Graduate academic standing\nFamiliarity with one or more of the listed biophysical characterization techniques (DLS, nanoDSF, SEC, CD, or capillary electrophoresis)\nBackground in protein formulation, biologics drug product development, or protein biochemistry\nFamiliarity with lyophilization, freeze-drying, or related solid-state processing methods\nExperience with data analysis tools such as GraphPad Prism, Python, MATLAB, or similar\nPrevious experience in a GLP-compliant or structured R&D laboratory environment\nInterest in space medicine, in-orbit manufacturing, or the emerging orbital economy\nCompensation\nHourly Rate: $33.00\nHousing stipend for interns relocating to the area\nCommuter benefit to support local transportation\nBenefits for Interns\nHealth & Wellness \nPaid observed holidays \n100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans for employees and dependents with FSA and employer-matched HSA options \n$120/month wellness reimbursement for gym and fitness expenses \nSponsored One Medical memberships for employees and their dependents \nFinancial \n$20/pay period cell phone reimbursement \nUp to $4,000 gross up in relocation support, if eligible \nUp to $850 commute credit through Lyft or car rental reimbursement, if eligible \nWorkplace Experience & Perks \nFully stocked kitchen with lunch provided daily and dinner provided twice weekly \nCompany and team-bonding events, happy hours and mission-success celebrations \nComplimentary EV charging\nITAR Requirements\nVarda, 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.\n“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).\nE-Verify Statement\nVarda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.\nE-Verify Notice Right To Work Notice\nRead more Read more\nVarda Space Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.","description_format":"text","description_chars":8417,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Satellite Manufacturing","Space Services"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-01T15:17:25Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":3,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.1,"p_room":0.28,"age_days":28,"expected_fill_days":6,"reasons":["conf:1","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","crowd:junior,brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-30T05:48:23Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/varda-space-industries-formulation-science-internship-summer-2027","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/varda-space-industries-formulation-science-internship-summer-2027.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-31T02:45:15Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":3885,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-01T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":58875},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=58875"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fvarda-space-industries-formulation-science-internship-summer-2027"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fvarda-space-industries-formulation-science-internship-summer-2027"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fvarda-space-industries-formulation-science-internship-summer-2027"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/varda-space-industries-formulation-science-internship-summer-2027\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fvarda-space-industries-formulation-science-internship-summer-2027"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":1587369}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"varda.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":1587369},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}