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Vast · 14 hours ago

Senior Hardware Development Engineer

Long Beach, California, United States

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

$110K/yr - $176K/yr

5+ years exp

Vast is dedicated to advancing space exploration by building artificial gravity space stations. The Senior Hardware Development Engineer will support the development of systems required for designing and building human-rated space stations, blending mechanical and systems engineering with human-factors-driven product development.

Defense & Space

Culture & Values

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end design, development, and integration of in-flight equipment—from concept and requirements through analysis, selection, qualification, manufacturing readiness, and flight verification

Develop and maintain packaging layouts for all cargo- optimize equipment placement to meet volume, mass, accessibility, and center-of-gravity constraints

Own requirements, run trade studies, and drive decisions with clear engineering rationale

Develop qualification and acceptance testing for all in-flight equipment. Design test fixtures, coordinate and execute all testing (off-gassing, flammability, mechanical loads, EMI/EMC, environmental exposure)

Produce detailed CAD models, engineering drawings, analysis reports, test plans, and concepts of operations; lead hardware through manufacturing/procurement, test, integration, and verification

Participate in human-in-the-loop evaluations, mockups, packing studies and fit checks

Work cross functionally with teams (Flight Surgeons, Food Scientists, Thermal, ECLSS, Avionics)

Ensure hardware, packaging, and stowage solutions meet mission requirements, human factors and safety through cross-functional ownership

Qualification

Mechanical designCAD toolsFEA toolsSpaceflight hardwareEnvironmental testingHigh-reliability systemsData-driven decision makingLeadership experienceCommunicationOrganizational skills

Required

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related engineering discipline

5+ years of mechanical design and analysis experience, including development of mechanical components, systems, or safety-critical equipment

5+ years of experience with CAD and FEA tools

Preferred

Experience developing spaceflight hardware or safety equipment in regulated or high-reliability domains

Hands-on experience supporting environmental testing (structural, random vibration, thermal, EMI/EMC)

Experience with aerospace, medical, or high-reliability packaging systems

Experience with flexible packaging, barrier materials, or food-grade polymers

Ability to lead trade studies using first-principles reasoning, even with limited data

Leadership experience on an engineering or project team

Strong ability to use data and analysis to make fast data-driven decisions

Demonstrated ownership of hardware from concept through design, build, integration, and verification

Excellent communication skills; ability to synthesize inputs across teams (avionics, materials, human factors, structural, safety, procurement)

Comfort working in ambiguity; ability to move fast, take ownership, and deliver under tight schedule constraints

Highly organized individual with excellent documentation practices, attention to detail, and the ability to track information accurately across projects

Benefits

100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents

Flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 10 days of vacation for non-exempt staff

Paid parental leave

Short and long-term disability insurance

Life insurance

Access to a 401(k) retirement plan

One Medical membership

ClassPass credits

Personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health

Other discounts and perks

Exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge

Lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.

Company

Vast

Vast is developing next-generation space stations to ensure 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.

Founded in 2021

Long Beach, California, US

501-1000 employees