Vast is Hiring a Head of Propulsion Engineering Near Long Beach, CA
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. We are looking for a dynamic Head of Propulsion to lead our propulsion team and play a critical role in achieving this groundbreaking goal. As the Head of Propulsion, you will report to the Chief Technical Officer and lead a team dedicated to developing, testing, and integrating propulsion systems for our space stations. Your work will be vital for maintaining our space stations' attitude, orbit control, and docking operations. At Vast, propulsions systems are critical for maintaining our on-orbit attitude, orbit raising, spin/de-spin, de-saturation and docking operations of our space stations. The team designs and tests bi-prop thruster systems, feed systems and works with our partners on propulsion components, systems and solutions for our space stations. Team activities include modeling of the propulsion system, design of test systems and implementation of V&V plans that leverage test systems at our dedicated Mojave test site. This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location. Key Responsibilities
Recruit, lead, and mentor a diverse team of engineers and technicians in designing and building propulsion systems, fluid modeling, and testing programs
Oversee the design of in-space ethane/nitrous oxide pressure-fed gas thrusters and guide system optimization and trade studies
Develop integrated physics models for 2-phase fluid, thermal, pressure, and mass flow to define operating parameters
Collaborate with GNC to model thruster use and commodity consumption across mission phases using Monte Carlo simulations
Work with the thermal team on the on-orbit thermal environments of propulsion components, including tanks, accumulators, and thrusters
Partner with Avionics and Software teams to develop control, telemetry, and propulsion utilization algorithms
Track and maintain the schedule for propulsion deliverables and manage multiple development and test programs
Work with manufacturing and additive teams to produce propulsion components and manage vendor relationships
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical, Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
10 years of experience in designing complex fluid systems for propulsion
Proven leadership experience in managing propulsion design teams and cross-functional engineering projects
Direct experience as a people manager
Preferred Skills & Experience
Master’s degree in Aeronautical, Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
Expertise in designing and modeling 2-phase propellant systems
Experience leading multiple development and test programs with varied timelines
Manufacturing experience with 3D-printed metal propulsion parts
Project management skills across a portfolio of projects
Vendor management experience for outsourced components and systems
Strong team-building and recruiting capabilities
Additional Requirements
Ability to travel up to 20%
Willingness to work overtime or weekends to support critical mission milestones
Salary Range: California $185,000—$245,000 USD Compensation And BenefitsBase 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 STATUSThe 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 OPPORTUNITYVast 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.