Software Engineer I, Mission Software

Socket.dev; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 110,700 - 157,140; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical, dental, vision

Paid time off

Meal perks on site

Job summary

Vast is hiring a Software Engineer, Mission Software in Long Beach, California. You will join a team delivering space-station level software systems, with front-end and back-end work across APIs, data models, and pipelines.

The role requires a Bachelor’s in CS/Math/Engineering and 1+ year of software development experience, plus comfort with Docker/Kubernetes and multiple languages. As part of a mission-driven company building Haven modules, you will contribute to scalable code, robust tooling,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, math, or engineering.
• 1+ years of academic or internship software development experience.
• Experience with data-intensive full-stack applications and APIs.
• Containerization experience (Docker and Kubernetes preferred).
• Experience with multiple programming languages and time series data/databases.
• Experience with API design and modern frontend/backend stacks.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement web applications using modern frontends and application servers.
• Design and implement backend data models, APIs and pipelines.
• Iterate quickly on tooling and design as the company grows.
• Adopt scalable software practices for a large codebase and team.

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Math/Engineering

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

React/Next.js/Vue

GraphQL/REST/RPC

Node.js

OAuth

Terraform/Helm

SQL

Monitoring/Observability

Job description

About Vast

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations 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. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. 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, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. 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.

Position Summary

We are looking for a Software Engineer, Mission Software reporting to the Manager, Mission Software, full‑time, exempt, located in Long Beach. This role supports the development of systems required for the design and build of human‑rated space stations.

Responsibilities

• Work with the team to design and implement web applications using modern frontends and application servers, that consume APIs and micro‑services in a heterogeneous environment.
• Work with the team to design and implement backends including data modeling, APIs, and supporting pipelines.
• Rapidly iterate on tooling and design new applications as the company grows.
• Influence and adopt software practices and patterns that will scale to what will eventually become a very large codebase and team.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, math, or another engineering discipline.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• 1+ years of academic or internship experience in software development.
• Experience building, shipping, and supporting complex, data‑intensive full‑stack software applications.
• Experience working on ambiguous problems.
• Containerization experience (Docker and Kubernetes preferred).
• Experience working with multiple programming languages.
• Experience working with time series data and databases.
• Experience with API design.
• Experience with one or more of the following platforms, frameworks, and languages:
• React, Next.js, Vue or similar
• GraphQL, REST, RPC
• Node.js
• OAuth
• Terraform, Helm
• SQL
• Monitoring, Observability, Instrumentation

Compensation and Benefits

Pay Range: California: $110,700—$157,140 USD

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 and 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

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.