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, habitation modules, hatches, and docking systems.
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.
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.
