Principal Propulsion Design Engineer, Haven Mojave

Principal Propulsion Design Engineer, Haven

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. We are building artificial gravity space stations, allowing long-term stays in space without the adverse effects of zero-gravity. Our initial crewed space habitat will be Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station when it launches into low earth orbit in August 2025. Our team is all-in , committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.

Vast is looking for a Principal Propulsion Systems Engineer, Haven reporting to the Director of Haven Propulsion to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Mojave location.

Responsibilities:

• Develop (design, analyze, build, and test) propulsion thrusters, fluid components (e.g., valves, instrumentation, etc.), tanks/pressure vessels, and/or fluid systems specific to spacecraft serving space stations.
• Own critical spacecraft propulsion hardware/systems, assuming profound responsibility for their hardware.
• Interface with a world-class production team to ensure successful translation of designs into spacecraft.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 10+ years of mechanical or fluids design, analysis, or build experience (student project team and internship experience qualifies).
• 5+ years of experience in the design, build, and/or test of rocket engines, combustion devices, turbopumps, and/or valves.
• 5+ years of experience in the space industry.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Strong understanding of spacecraft and/or launch vehicle propulsion systems and fluid components.
• Experience in NX 8.5 or other CAD packages (PTC Creo, CATIA) with a solid understanding and application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) per ASME Y14.5-1994.
• Proficient in basic principles of compressible and incompressible flow, thermodynamics, thermochemistry, mechanics, materials, and electrical circuits.
• Professional or project experience with FEMAP, ANSYS, or similar finite element analysis (FEA) software tools, as well as a good understanding of fatigue, fracture, and crack propagation.
• Knowledge of metallic and fluid system manufacturing techniques, processes, equipment, and other processes such as machining, electron beam welding, orbital tube welding, tube bending, structural assembly, etc.
• Good understanding and experience working with aerospace materials (metals, plastics, composites).
• Solid understanding of test methods/setups and data acquisition systems.
• Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals to make clear recommendations even with partial information.
• Passion for advancing the commercial space industry and human spaceflight.
• Able to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, other engineers, and managers.
• Highly self-motivated with strong organizational and written/oral communication skills – able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment with the ongoing drive for continuous improvement in all aspects of work.

Additional Requirements:

• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
• Up to 10% travel to Long Beach as needed.

Salary Range: California

$185,000 - $245,000 USD

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 15 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, free catered meals and snacks and beverages, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks.

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

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