Pre-Sales Engineer

Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental, hardware-rich, and low-cost approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven-1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches in 2027, followed by additional Haven modules. Additionally, the company recently announced Vast Satellite, a high-power satellite product line leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo.

Headquartered in Long Beach, California, and with more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, Vast has built the facilities required to manufacture and operate America’s next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for the Moon and Mars, dedicated space stations for government partners, and other crewed systems that will unlock the expanding long-term space economy.

Vast is looking for a Pre-Sales Engineer, reporting to the SVP, Satellite Business Development & Commercialization, to support our Satellite Business Development team as the technical bridge between our engineering organization and prospective customers. This role is the trusted technical voice in the room during customer discussions  translating system-level engineering tradeoffs (propulsion, payload, power, performance) into terms customers can act on, running and interpreting our proprietary simulation and performance tools to answer real-time technical questions, and representing engineering's perspective in public and customer-facing forums. You'll work closely with system leads across the satellite business and be a key partner to Business Development throughout the sales cycle, from first technical conversation through proposal and close. 

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location

Responsibilities: 

• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to prospective and current customers, fielding and answering system-level engineering questions in real time during calls, meetings, and site visits
• Represent the engineering organization in customer-facing settings, industry conferences, and public speaking engagements, ensuring engineering perspective and technical credibility are present throughout the business development process
• Work closely with system engineering leads across propulsion, payload, and other subsystems to translate technical capability, performance, and constraints into customer-ready material and answers
• Operate and apply Vast's simulation tools to model satellite performance, power dynamics, and other system-level tradeoffs in support of customer proposals and technical discussions
• Partner with Business Development throughout the sales cycle to shape technical proposals, respond to RFIs/RFPs, and ensure proposed solutions are technically sound and achievable
• Contribute to the ongoing development and refinement of internal simulation and analysis tools used to support customer-facing technical engagements
• Apply AI tools and techniques to accelerate technical analysis, proposal development, and customer-facing deliverables

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or other engineering discipline 
• Demonstrated experience partnering with or operating alongside system engineering leads (e.g., propulsion, payload) on complex technical systems
• Some proficiency building or working with simulation/analysis tools evaluating system performance, power dynamics, or similar engineering tradeoffs
• Proficiency with AI tools and their application to engineering or analysis workflows
• Strong customer-facing and interpersonal skills; comfortable operating as a trusted technical advisor in front of customers
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex engineering concepts for non-technical or mixed audiences
• Ability to work independently and cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience with facilities within an aerospace industry
•  Familiar with space planning procedures and operations
• Knowledge of computer applications and the ability to easily navigate through different computer software programs
• Ability to create and update request for proposals (RFPs), purchase orders (POs) and facilities work orders in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment
• Ability to make independent judgments with limited information
• Communication skills for relaying data (verbally and in-writing) between other employees, vendors, and customers
• Logical and strategic approach to solving problems
• Ability to read and understand basic floor plans
• Comfortable working in a high-stress environment balancing several projects at any given time, and the flexibility to adjust for abrupt changes in strategic direction

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time
• Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones
• Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted
• Specific certifications, as appropriate

Pay Range: California$112,000—$195,000 USD

We calibrate level and compensation to the selected candidate's experience and demonstrated capability. We welcome applicants across a range of experience levels to apply.

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: medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.

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.