Senior Mechanical Engineer, Lunar

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 Senior Mechanical Engineer, Lunar, reporting to the Senior Vice President, Lunar Programs, to support the development of the systems that will be required for Vast’s Lunar ecosystem. Our team is applying the technology, infrastructure, and knowledge built across our Haven Demo, Haven-1, Haven Station, and Vast Satellite programs to a new frontier: the Moon. Our Lunar program isn't starting from scratch, giving this founding team an extraordinary running start to help shape humanity's next era of lunar exploration from day one.

As  one of the earliest Mechanical Engineers on the Lunar team, you'll play an outsized part in developing Vast’s lunar ecosystem. In this role you will have the opportunity to cover a wide range of components and systems for the Moon.  You will concept, design, build, and test engineered systems that require an understanding of mechanical design, power systems, fluid systems, mechanisms, and materials engineering.  The ideal candidate will be a full-ownership responsible engineer with broad knowledge that can take a product from beginning to end.

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

Responsibilities: 

• Own end-to-end lunar engineering projects such as solar and battery power stations, gas and fluids consumables pallets, airlocks, nodes, and habitation modules
• Lead trade studies on lunar designs, interfacing with power, thermal, avionics, life support, and industrial design teams
• Work with lunar subject matter experts and systems architects to bring lunar concepts to reality that mesh with Vast’s larger lunar ecosystem and NASA’s Moon Base architecture
• Develop and maintain CAD models (NX or equivalent), flowing design intent through to fabrication and release
• Drive fabrication, assembly, and integration of hardware, partnering with manufacturing and integration teams on design-for-manufacturing
• Lead hardware bring-up, checkout, and anomaly resolution
• Represent your systems at design reviews and program milestones

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of a B.S. in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, materials engineering, mathematics, physics, or related technical discipline
• 6+ years of experience in mechanical  design for space applications, with direct ownership of hardware from design through test
• Hands-on CAD proficiency (NX or equivalent) with experience taking mechanical/electromechanical/fluids designs from concept through flight release
• Demonstrated experience owning a hardware subsystem end-to-end (design, build, integration, and test), not solely in an analysis or support capacity
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, fluid schematics, and electrical circuit diagrams
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills, and ability to communicate technical information to non-technical partners

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience working on lunar engineering programs.
• Experience designing or delivering deployable spacecraft structures (solar arrays, booms, masts, or similar mechanisms)
• Experience with battery system design, sizing, or qualification for space applications
• Familiarity with the lunar surface or deep-space thermal, radiation, and solar environment (or equivalent extreme-environment design experience)
• Experience leading hardware through formal verification campaigns (functional, environmental, vibration, thermal-vacuum)
• Prior experience in a fast-paced commercial space or startup hardware environment, comfortable with high ownership and limited process overhead

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to travel up to 5% of the time to support vendors, partnership or customer meetings
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones

Pay Range: California$137,000—$230,000 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.