Manufacturing Engineering, Structures

Vast; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 86,000 - 196,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Free meals and snacks on site

401(k) retirement plan

Generous PTO and holidays

Job summary

Vast is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer, Structures in Long Beach, CA to drive human-rated station processes as Haven-1 moves toward flight readiness. The role demands hands-on fabrication, design-for-manufacturability collaboration, and development of efficient manufacturing workflows in a high-stakes space environment.

Base duties include defining weld and assembly processes, refining layouts, and coordinating with design and quality teams.

Qualifications

• B.S. in mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing, or related field.
• Manufacturing experience across multiple work centers or departments.
• Hands-on fabrication, assembly, and integration experience.
• CAD proficiency, NX preferred.
• Proficiency with GD&T.

Responsibilities

• Build and inspect the assembly of the primary structure.
• Develop and refine manufacturing processes (welding, trimming, shearing, rolling, bending).
• Document and standardize welding and other processes; manage work instructions.
• Collaborate with engineers and technicians to solve large-scale production challenges.
• Evaluate designs for manufacturability with design engineers in a fast-changing production environment.
• Identify, plan, and execute capital equipment, machine, and layout upgrades.
• Develop floor layouts, capacity models, and product flow for on-time delivery.

Skills

Hands-on fabrication

CAD proficiency

Problem solving

Cross-functional teamwork

GD&T

Education

B.S. in mechanical engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

Teamcenter

Ansys

Job description

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 Manufacturing Engineer, Structures to help develop the systems behind our human-rated space stations. You will drive the development and execution of human-rated vehicle processes as Haven-1 transitions from design to a flight-ready station.

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

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the build and inspection process for the assembly of the primary structure
• Develop and refine manufacturing processes, including: welding, trimming, shearing, rolling, bending, and more to meet all design and business requirements including safety, quality, efficiency and delivery
• Document and standardize welding and other processes and own the creation and modification of manufacturing planning/work instructions
• Collaborate with other engineers, subject matter experts, and technicians to solve large-scale production challenges
• Work with design engineers to evaluate designs for manufacturability and implementation in a rapidly evolving production environment
• Resolve product non-conformances and collaborate with the quality team to implement root cause corrective actionsHelp manufacturing and engineering teams to identify, plan, and execute capital equipment, machine, and layout upgrades to meet volume production demand
• Develop and refine floor layouts, capacity models, and product flow analysis to ensure on-time vehicle delivery to manifest

Minimum Qualifications

• B.S. in mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing or electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related technical field
• Manufacturing experience (including internships) managing a product/product line across multiple work centers and/or departments, fluid, pressurized, propulsion, or environmental control hardware in design, manufacturing, or test
• 2-4+ years of experience for Manufacturing Engineer II
• 4-6+ years of experience for Senior Manufacturing Engineer
• Hands‑on fabrication, assembly, and/or integration experience; CAD proficiency (NX preferred)

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Hands‑on experience building or testing hardware, in industry or through student teams such as Formula SAE, rocketry, CubeSat, or robotics
• Experience with aerospace, spacecraft, propulsion, or other safety‑critical or high‑reliability hardware
• Experience taking designs or processes from concept through build or test, and from R&D to production
• Familiarity with CAD tools, ideally Siemens NX, and PLM tools such as Teamcenter
• Exposure to thermal or structural analysis using Ansys, or similar tools
• Awareness of aerospace workmanship, design, and environmental test standards such as IPC, SMC‑S‑016, NASA‑STD‑5001, or MIL‑STD‑810
• Proficiency applying GD&T
• Strong problem‑solving skills, including troubleshooting and structured root cause analysis
• Strong attention to detail, clear communication, and the ability to work well in cross‑functional teams
• Senior Level: experience mentoring engineers or technicians and managing multiple projects at once

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones

Pay Ranges

• Engineer I: $86,100.00 - $122,220.00
• Engineer II: $112,340.00 - $159,468.00
• Senior Engineer: $137,760.00 - $195,552.00

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.