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.
Vast is looking for an Integration Engineer, Launch Operations, reporting to the Senior Integration Engineer, to support vehicle-level integration, launch processing, and launch campaign execution for our human-rated space stations.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
- Define and manage vehicle configuration states for test readiness, shipping, and launch processing
- Develop and execute ATLO sequences for Haven-1, coordinating vehicle state transitions between integration, test, and launch operations
- Develop planning for critical handling of flight hardware and MGSE (lifting, weighing, breakover, transport)
- Support launch site operations including payload processing, vehicle stacking, and launch campaign execution at Cape Canaveral and/or other launch facilities
- Coordinate with integration test, tooling, and other stakeholder teams to determine tooling requirements, address vehicle access constraints, and ensure vehicle safety prior to launch
- Ensure vehicle meets cleanliness, contamination control, and environmental requirements during all stages of integration, transport, and launch processing
- Author integration planning, issue work orders, and work directly with production and technicians to execute work on the vehicle
- Collaborate with other engineers, subject matter experts, and technicians to solve complex integration issues in real time
- Support system checkouts, functional testing, and vehicle health verification during launch campaign windows
- Interface with launch provider and range personnel to ensure compliance with payload processing facility requirements and range safety procedures
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related engineering discipline
- 4+ years of aerospace integration engineering experience
- Direct experience supporting spacecraft launch campaigns, including payload processing, system checkouts, and/or launch site operations (e.g., Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg, KSC)
- Hands-on experience with spacecraft hardware integration, including critical lifts, transport, and mechanical/electrical mate operations
- Experience working alongside technicians and directing multi-person integration operations
- Experience authoring integration procedures, work orders, and sequencing plans for vehicle-level operations
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- 6+ years of aerospace integration engineering experience with progressive ownership of ATLO or vehicle-level integration through launch
- Experience as the responsible engineer or integration lead for end-to-end launch campaign execution, including driving requirements and building processes from scratch
- Familiarity with payload processing facilities, range safety procedures, and contamination control requirements (cleanroom protocols, Class 100K or better)
- Familiarity with vehicle-level functional testing, health checks, TCS, and/or propulsion fill operations
- Experience defining vehicle configuration states for test readiness, shipping, and launch processing
- Experience with NX or similar mechanical design tools for MGSE and fixture design
- Strong verbal and written communication skills for coordinating across engineering, technicians, vendors, and range/launch provider personnel
- Hands-on experience with spacecraft critical lifts, breakovers, and mass property measurements
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 10% during nominal operations. During active launch campaign windows (estimated 1–2 months per campaign), travel may increase to 50%+ including extended deployment to Cape Canaveral or other launch facilities
- Willingness to work overtime, off-hours/shift schedules, and weekends to support critical mission milestones
- Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted
Pay Range:
- Integration Engineer II; $112,000 - $159,000
- Senior Integration Engineer; $137,000 - $195,000
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
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.
Skills Required
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline
- 4+ years of aerospace integration engineering experience
- Direct experience supporting spacecraft launch campaigns, payload processing, system checkouts, or launch site operations
- Hands-on spacecraft hardware integration experience including critical lifts, transport, and mechanical/electrical mate operations
- Experience working alongside technicians and directing multi-person integration operations
- Experience authoring integration procedures, work orders, and sequencing plans for vehicle-level operations
- Ability to travel up to 10% nominally and up to 50%+ during launch campaigns
- Willingness to work overtime, off-hours/shift schedules, and weekends for mission support
- Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted
- Must be a U.S. person as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 (U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, asylee, or refugee with status granted)
- Experience with NX or similar mechanical design tools for MGSE and fixture design
- Familiarity with cleanroom protocols and contamination control (Class 100K or better)
- Experience as responsible engineer or integration lead for end-to-end launch campaign execution
- Familiarity with vehicle-level functional testing, thermal control systems, and/or propulsion fill operations
- Hands-on experience with critical lifts, breakovers, and mass property measurements
- Strong verbal and written communication skills for cross-team coordination
Vast Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Vast and has not been reviewed or approved by Vast.
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Healthcare Strength — Company materials describe comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents from day one, alongside primary care and mental‑health programs. These provisions are repeatedly emphasized as a core part of the total rewards package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Information highlights generous PTO with an annual cash‑out option, paid parental leave, sick time, and company holidays, with flexible PTO for exempt staff. These features indicate broad time‑off support across multiple needs.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Onsite meals and snacks, fitness memberships or stipends, and wellness resources (e.g., One Medical and Spring Health) are prominently offered. Such perks appear designed to enhance daily work experience and overall wellbeing.
Vast Insights
What We Do
Vast is developing next-generation space stations to ensure 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 in 2026, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. With more than 1,000 employees at its Long Beach, California headquarters and over a billion dollars in private capital invested, Vast has built the facilities required to manufacture and operate America’s next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats for the Moon and Mars, dedicated space stations for government partners, and other crewed systems that will unlock the expanding long-term space economy.
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