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Salary: USD 115,000 - 155,000 / annual
Varda Space Industries is a commercial space infrastructure company developing in-orbit pharmaceutical processing and reentry capsule technology. As Industrial and Personnel Security Manager, you will own the day-to-day execution of Varda's industrial security compliance and personnel security programs, reporting to the Director of Security (Facility Security Officer).
You will develop and maintain practical security processes, keep the program inspection-ready, and coordinate across HR, IT, Legal, Engineering, Mission Management, and Business Development from customer engagement through launch and recovery. You may serve as Alternate FSO upon designation and training completion.
Industrial Security and Compliance: Run the industrial security program per 32 CFR Part 117 (NISPOM), contract requirements, and DoD/Intelligence Community standards. Own facility clearance records and government correspondence via NISS. Lead annual self-inspections, prepare reports for FSO review, and track corrective actions. Coordinate with DCSA security reviews and customer assessments. Review DD Forms 254 and classification guides, translating requirements into procedures. Control classified information from marking through destruction. Build practical procedures and training materials.
Personnel Security: Manage clearance processing in DISS, NBIS, and customer systems, including investigations, upgrades, transfers, and Continuous Vetting. Coordinate SCI nominations and polygraph scheduling. Partner with HR on cleared employee onboarding/offboarding and maintain clearance rosters and access records. Conduct initial, annual, refresher, foreign travel, and termination briefings. Process visit authorizations and verify clearance requirements. Track foreign travel, contacts, and reportable changes; escalate sensitive issues to FSO. Forecast clearance needs and track processing metrics.
Program Support and Incident Response: Support insider threat administration, document security incidents, and track mitigation. Serve as alternate COMSEC custodian when designated. Partner with IT on CUI protection and classified infrastructure. Provide security guidance to employees and leaders.
Physical security operations are outside this role's scope. Varda plans to hire a dedicated Physical Security Manager separately.
REQUIREMENTS:
Minimum Qualifications:
- At least 5 years of relevant industrial security experience in a DoD or Intelligence Community contractor environment, including substantive hands-on personnel security responsibilities
- Demonstrated experience administering clearance actions, reporting, training, classified information controls, and inspection preparation; independently owning recurring security processes
- Strong working knowledge of 32 CFR Part 117 (NISPOM), DD Form 254 requirements, and security classification guides; ability to translate requirements into clear procedures
- Hands-on proficiency with DISS and NBIS; ability to use NISS and customer-specific systems
- Working knowledge of ICD 704 personnel security requirements for SCI personnel
- Strong written communication, organization, discretion, and judgment; ability to brief employees, executives, and government representatives
- Ability to work independently, coordinate across functions, prioritize competing deadlines, and build repeatable processes in a growing company
- U.S. citizenship and active Top Secret security clearance with SCI eligibility; ability to maintain clearance and obtain required customer program access
- Ability to satisfy additional customer access requirements, including CI polygraph if required (existing polygraph preferred but not universally mandatory)
- Ability to work on-site in El Segundo and support other Varda facilities, with occasional domestic travel and mission-driven schedule requirements
- Completion and maintenance of required role-specific government and customer training; FSO or COMSEC training required before performing formally designated duties
- Bachelor's degree in security management, criminal justice, business administration, or related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience (degree not mandatory if experience demonstrates required capabilities)
Preferred Qualifications:
- 7 or more years of relevant experience, including prior FSO, Alternate FSO, CPSO, CSSO, or security program leadership responsibilities
- Direct experience supporting successful DCSA reviews and personnel security or industrial security compliance for SCI or SAP programs
- COMSEC account experience, insider threat program administration, and experience partnering on CUI or classified information system requirements
- Relevant CDSE FSO course completion or recognized security certifications such as SPeD or ISP
- Experience building security processes in aerospace, space, advanced manufacturing, or startup environment
