Mechanical Engineer, Thermal Control Systems

Rocket Lab; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading space exploration company seeks a Mechanical Engineer for Thermal Control Systems in Long Beach, CA. The role includes designing and developing thermal control systems for the world’s first commercial space station. Candidates should possess a mechanical engineering degree and relevant experience in fluid systems and hardware development.

Benefits

100% medical, dental, and vision coverage

Flexible paid time off

Paid parental leave

401(k) retirement plan

ClassPass credits

Free meals and snacks

Qualifications

• Strong background in fluid systems or components required.
• Minimum 2 years of hands-on hardware experience.
• Experience with design principles and problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop thermal control systems for space stations.
• Lead hardware development and project delivery timelines.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams for system integration.

Skills

Fluid systems

Problem-solving

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

NX

FEMAP

ANSYS

Job description

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 May 2026. 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 Mechanical Engineer, Thermal Control Systems reporting to the Manager, Thermal Control Hardware 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, CA location.

Responsibilities:

• Own the design and development of thermal control system and components for our artificial-gravity space station, from initial design trades to fully functional and validated system
• Iterate on manufacturing processes and development testing in a fast-paced environment
• Own the project delivery timeline from early design through production, launch, and orbit insertion
• Perform systems engineering tasks and fluid analyses
• Lead design reviews internally and externally with suppliers and customers
• Work with interdisciplinary stakeholders to ensure the component will integrate with the necessary avionics, software, and mission operations systems
• Make sure that all designs are manufacturable and reliable
• Bring technical excellence to everything you do

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or other engineering discipline
• Experience working with fluid systems or components
• 2+ years of hands-on hardware experience performing fabrication, assembly and/or testing

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience working with fluid systems or components
• Demonstrated ability to own hardware or systems within an integrated engineering team outside a classroom setting
• Hands-on hardware experience performing fabrication, assembly and/or testing
• Proactive problem-solving skills such as failure analysis, root cause investigation, and design of experiment creation
• Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals to make clear recommendations even with partial information
• Experience with rotating machinery
• Experienced in NX
• Solid understanding and application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-up analysis
• Experience with structural analysis methods (hand calcs, FEMAP, ANSYS) in order to optimize hardware to strength requirements as well as to evaluate for life and fracture
• 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

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
• Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted

Pay Range:

• Mechanical Engineer: $110,000 - $142,100

Salary Range: California

$110,000—$142,100 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 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, and other discounts and perks.We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee, 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.

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.