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.

Vast is looking for a Materials and Processes Engineer, Soft Goods, reporting to the Director of Manufacturing, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations. This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location. 

As a Materials and Processes Engineer at Vast, you will have the opportunity to utilize your knowledge, experience, and creativity to lead material assessment, selection, and certification at the cutting edge of space technology. Our team is developing novel life support, thermal control, and propulsion systems, as well as designing and building the interiors for a crew rated space station.  This is a challenging role as it involves knowledge and decisions that are absolutely critical to the safety of future astronauts and passengers.

Responsibilities: 

  • Own non-metallic materials and process recommendations and requirements for an artificial-gravity space station 
  • Select and communicate company posture on material selection, off-gassing risk, flammability, and toxicity assessment for a crewed space station 
  • Act as the technical expert for polymers, soft goods, seals, paints, and adhesives/epoxies
  • Work with interdisciplinary stakeholders such as life support, thermal control, and propulsion engineers to ensure all materials and processes can support a safe crewed mission
  • Lead design reviews internally and externally with suppliers and customers
  • Make sure that all designs and systems are manufacturable and reliable from a materials perspective

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in materials science or related discipline
  • 3+ years of experience working with materials and processes for space applications

Preferred Skills & Experience:

  • Master of Science degree in materials science or related discipline
  • Experience with soft goods, especially those used in aerospace or other crewed vehicles
  • Knowledge of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and their impact on vehicles and crew
  • Experience with off gassing of polymers and other non-metallic materials
  • Experience with outgassing of materials in a vacuum environment
  • Knowledge of flammability risk of a variety of materials used in aerospace applications
  • Knowledge of crewed space vehicles
  • Knowledge of gaseous oxygen systems and related materials, process, and cleanliness guidelines and interactions with flammability assessments of these systems
  • Experience in toxicity assessment for short and medium term human health risk
  • Knowledge of corrosion mechanisms
  • Experience with aerospace specific electronics and coatings risks such as whiskering
  • Experience with paints, epoxies, and coatings for aerospace applications
  • Knowledge of metallic and fluid system manufacturing techniques, processes, equipment, and other processes such as machining, welding, brazing, tube bending, etc.
  • Able to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, other engineers, and managers
  • Highly self-motivated with strong organizational and written/oral communication skills – able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment with the ongoing drive for continuous improvement in all aspects of work
  • Hands-on laboratory experience in materials science and additive manufacturing
  • Preferred experience: atomization, metal additive manufacturing, alloy development for additive manufacturing, additive manufacturing equipment development, injection molding, metallography, optical microscopy, hardness testing, DSC, XRD, IGF, machine shop technology
  • Strong organizational skills, as well as verbal and written communication
  • Strong project management, organizational, and communication skills
  • Ability to plan and execute R&D projects
  • Apply subject matter expertise to cutting edge technical needs, iterate efficiently, and clearly articulate issues
  • Ability to independently operate, design, and modify laboratory equipment
  • Perform materials characterization tests, write detailed reports, and design experiments
  • Experience with metal alloy development for additive manufacturing and/or experience with developing new metal additive manufacturing technologies
  • Familiarity with laboratory testing for materials characterization with processes such as FTIR, XRD, gas chromatography
  • Experience with interpreting engineering drawings and models; GD&T, etc.

Additional Requirements:

  • Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
  • Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted
Salary Range: California
$135,000—$170,000 USD
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: 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 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.

Apply for this Job

* Required
resume chosen  
Dropbox Google Drive
(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)
Cancel
cover_letter chosen  
Dropbox Google Drive
(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)
Cancel

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Vast’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

Enter the verification code sent to to confirm you are not a robot, then submit your application.

This application was flagged as potential bot traffic. To resubmit your application, turn off any VPNs, clear the browser's cache and cookies, or try another browser. If you still can't submit it, contact our support team through the help center.