Senior Mission Operations 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 Senior Mission Operations Engineer reporting to the Senior Manager of Crew Operations & Training, to support the development of the systems required to enable and execute the delivery of the crew operations and flight controller and crew training programs needed for human-rated space stations. You are responsible for the planning and successful implementation of crew operations and technical training for our spacecraft missions. Here, you will work cross functionally with engineers from other disciplines from the early stages of spacecraft design through on-orbit decommissioning. The Senior Mission Operations Engineer, tasked functionally to the Crew Operations & Training team, is responsible for developing and testing the crew operations and preparing mission operations team and crew members for mission readiness, including developing and executing human in the loop testing campaigns, authoring crew procedures and training products, planning and executing classroom/mockups/simulation based training events, ensuring training programs run efficiently, and certifying the integrity and intent of formal training programs to support the future of commercial human spaceflight.

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

Responsibilities: 

Training:

• Develop technical crew training materials that serve both experienced government crew members and private customers new to spaceflight operations.
• Develop technical training materials across all vehicle subsystems for flight controllers who will be operating the Haven-1 station.
• Execute training simulations, including scenario construction, scripting and automation, testing and troubleshooting.
• Plan end-to-end training flows and lead execution of technical training events in support of the certification of both astronaut crew members and members of the flight control team using a variety of environments and delivery platforms.

Crew Operations:

• Develop scalable human-in-the-loop testing processes for the verification and validation of human interface requirements.
• Execute task analysis and human-in-the-loop testing for the development of crew operations, including ownership of the development and testing of all crew-facing procedures, using a variety of environments and delivery platforms.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on human operation of a safety-critical system across all engineering disciplines such as analysis of crew loads, identification of human error risks and hazard controls, and development of user interfaces and displays.

Cross-functional collaboration and integration:

• Provide operational support as the operations expert in planning for and execution of pre-flight testing and checkouts to ensure training systems, spacecraft, and ground systems are capable to execute readiness campaigns and flight.
• Work closely with Mission Management to ensure customer requirements (including but not limited to payloads, customer directed science, and other research activities) are translated to a Concept of Operations that balances all needs.
• Work with engineers across disciplines to support the development of spacecraft operations training programs and crew operations procedures with intimate knowledge of ground procedures, flight rules, hazard reports and controls, products & processes; culminating in the safe & successful operations of a newly launched spacecraft and crew.
• Identify areas for improvement of the training systems, Mission Systems, Mission Operations Software, and other ground system architecture features and processes, and collaborate with the Mission Systems Engineering & Mission/Ground Software Engineering teams to test, deploy, and maintain them.
• Implement and iterate improvements to processes & systems with a focus on advancing Vast’s Mission Operations, Crew Operations, Training, and human in the loop testing approaches while maintaining Vast’s commitment to excellence.

In support of future real-time mission operations from Mission Control:

• Train for, certify, and execute as an Operator supporting Vast’s missions for uncrewed vehicle commissioning, uncrewed and crewed on-orbit operations, anomaly resolution, and final deorbit of spacecraft.
• Perform routine analysis of vehicle telemetry and deliver informed summaries and recommendations to mission stakeholders as well as to other engineering disciplines for further review & analysis.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, software engineering, or other engineering discipline.
• 2+ years of experience in the real-time operation and/or training development and delivery of complex spaceflight systems.
• Experience building from scratch a system, processes, and team to perform complex operations and training for an aerospace system (launch vehicle, satellite, crew capsule).
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with other engineering disciplines.
• Demonstrated ability to critically think in high stress environments and rapidly evolving situations.
• Ability to disseminate critical engineering & technical information effectively and clearly.
• Strong communication, technical writing, and presentation development and delivery skills.
• Willing to support 24/7 operations during mission critical phases.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• 1+ years working in human factors engineering, human systems integrations, or user research and usability testing, preferably in a safety-critical industry such as human spaceflight.  
• Experience in human spaceflight mission operations.
• Experience in crew and flight control team technical training development and execution/delivery.
• Master’s degree in a technical field.
• 1+ years working in a spacecraft design, build, and test environment.
• 3+ years of experience in the operation and training of complex spaceflight systems, including demonstrated on-console competency.
• Technical knowledge in spacecraft systems engineering (avionics, propulsion, attitude control, RF and/or optical communications, orbital mechanics, life support systems, thermal and power control systems).
• Technical knowledge in Space-to-Ground Communication Systems (e.g., RF, Ground Stations, Modems, Antenna Systems).
• Software Engineering and Language Skills (e.g., Git, C++, Golang, Markdown, Javascript, React, Matlab, Python/Octave, Software Architecture, Databases, Cloud).
• Proficient at using command line interfaces and scripting languages associated with spaceflight ground systems.

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time.
• Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones.

Pay Range: California$137,000—$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.