Senior Power Systems Engineer

Vast; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 112,000 - 196,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Equity

Generous paid time off

401(k) retirement plan

ClassPass credits

Spring Health mental health services

Onsite meals and snacks

Job summary

Vast in Long Beach, CA, is seeking a Senior Power Systems Engineer to own the satellite power system end to end and serve as technical authority for the spacecraft power system.

You will define ground and flight power modes, size generation and storage through first-principles energy balance models, and drive system-level verification, validation, and interface decisions across mechanical, thermal, propulsion, and flight software teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional or project experience in spacecraft electrical systems design.
• Experience designing spacecraft power systems from initial requirements.
• Experience with high voltage power systems above 100 V.
• Experience with lifecycle development for space systems, including requirement definition, design, integration, verification and validation, qualification, and operation.

Responsibilities

• Own the satellite power system end to end, including architecture definitions, interfaces, requirements, verification planning, and validation execution.
• Serve as the technical authority for the spacecraft power system and manage flight readiness and waivers for launch.
• Define ground and flight power modes and size generation, storage, and margins using first-principles energy balance models.
• Decompose system requirements to unit-level specifications, cover voltage/current ranges, regulation, ripple, and fault limits, and verify results.
• Drive decisions across mechanical, thermal, propulsion, GNC, and flight software; align interfaces and ensure integrated design convergence.
• Collaborate with Responsible Engineers on component-level design and test approaches; ensure traceability to power requirements.

Skills

Spacecraft power design

Power system requirements

High voltage power systems

Lifecycle development for space

Electrical engineering fundamentals

Python

MATLAB/Simulink

Electrical test equipment

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related field

Tools

Python

MATLAB/Simulink

CAN/Ethernet test equipment

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 Senior Power Systems Engineer, reporting to the Senior Manager, Avionics and Power Systems, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of high power satellites.

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

Responsibilities:

• Own the satellite power system end to end, including architectural trades, functional and technical interface definitions (hardware and software), hierarchical requirements specification, and verification and validation planning and execution
• Serve as the technical authority for the spacecraft power system. Own flight readiness assessment, disposition nonconformances and waivers against the power system, and hold final sign-off authority on power system configuration for launch
• Define ground and flight power modes and own the power budget. Build and defend first-principles energy balance models that size generation, storage, and margin across orbit geometries, eclipse profiles, and off-nominal modes to verify power positivity, and justify the model fidelity chosen for the decision being made
• Decompose system requirements into unit-level requirements at the circuit and functional level, covering parameters such as voltage and current ranges, regulation and ripple, efficiency, inrush and fault current limits, protection and isolation, margin, and derating. Define and execute the corresponding verification, including test setup, instrumentation, pass/fail criteria, and data review, and determine whether results actually close the requirement
• Drive power-relevant design decisions across mechanical, thermal, propulsion, GNC, and flight software. Capture system-level operating modes, constraints, and behaviors and drive their implementation on the power system; surface the questions others aren't asking, elevate unresolved interface conflicts, and secure convergence on the correct integrated design
• Partner with Responsible Engineers on component-level design and test approach, ensuring component specifications and acceptance criteria trace to system-level power requirements
• Perform system-level failure modes, effects, and criticality analyses to motivate reliability design and validation plans, and architect the resulting vehicle modes, autonomous behaviors, and fault responses
• Work closely with Satellite Vehicle Lead to manage power system deliverables and execute spacecraft-level integration and test. Evaluate vehicle health, perform real-time troubleshooting, and drive root-cause analysis and corrective action
• Keep Power Systems designs consistent with modular platform engineering principles across programs. Maintain system designs, processes, and validation techniques, and feed recurring issues back into design to improve reliability and streamline production
• Own all aspects of documentation for the satellite power systems, ensuring that all trade decisions and ensuing technical specifications are fully documented

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, or other engineering discipline
• 5+ years of professional or project experience in spacecraft electrical systems design.
• Experience designing spacecraft power systems from initial requirements
• Experience with high voltage power systems above 100 V
• Experience with lifecycle development as it relates to space systems, including requirement definition, identifying design solutions, integration, validation and verification, qualification, and operation

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience with spacecraft power hardware, including lithium-ion battery systems, solar arrays and solar array drive assemblies, peak power tracking and regulation, and power distribution units
• Proficiency building energy balance and power budget models in Python, MATLAB/Simulink, or equivalent, including orbital illumination and eclipse analysis
• Understanding of electrical schematics and electronics manufacturing sufficient to analyze and improve test coverage
• Competence with electrical test equipment such as multimeters, oscilloscopes, network analyzers, and power supplies
• Experience with vehicle and instrumentation buses such as Ethernet, CAN, SPI, and I/O, as well as serial I/O (RS232/422/485)
• Experience designing electronics for the spaceflight environment and verifying workmanship and operability through environmental test, including random vibration, shock, thermal, burn-in, and TVAC
• Rigorous validation mindset. You are the person who asks "how do we know this is right?" and then builds the test to prove it
• Ability to make sound design and development decisions with incomplete data, weighing risk against competing multi-disciplinary requirements
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to convey technical topics to audiences of varying background and seniority
• Strong sense of accountability and integrity, with the organization and documentation discipline to work autonomously in a fast-paced environment

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to travel up to 10% travel to support launch campaigns
• Comfortable balancing several projects at any given time with the flexibility to adjust for abrupt changes in strategic direction
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones

Pay Range: California $112,340 — $195,552 USD

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.

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

This 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.