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 a Legal Counsel, reporting to the General Counsel, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of human-rated space stations.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
- Commercial Contracts: Structure, negotiate, and execute transactions ranging from standard agreements to highly complex deals, ensuring alignment with business objectives and regulatory requirements
- Business Enablement: Provide practical, business-oriented legal guidance that enables teams to move quickly while maintaining appropriate risk controls. Act as a key resource for navigating legal challenges and ensuring Vast’s success with customers–in the U.S. and around the world
- Special Projects: Support our General Counsel and Associate General Counsel on special projects, as requested, and work independently with our internal legal support staff and other internal partners
- Intellectual Property Management: Oversee and manage Vast’s intellectual property portfolio, including coordination of patent, trademark, and trade secret matters; support IP strategy, filings, maintenance, enforcement, licensing, and related risk mitigation in alignment with business objectives and technology development
- Process & Template Development: Help build and improve contract templates, playbooks, intake processes, and approval workflows to support faster, more consistent customer contracting across the business
- Risk & Compliance: Identify and manage legal, regulatory, and operational risks related to commercial transactions, including supply chain, intellectual property, confidentiality, data privacy, export controls, and compliance obligations
Minimum Qualifications:
- 2+ years of experience in a legal role at a private company or law firm
- Subject matter expertise in commercial contracts and intellectual property
- JD with admission to practice law in a state bar in good standing and able to practice in-house in California
- Strong problem-solving experience and skills
- Strong verbal and writing skills
- Process-oriented and team player
- Good judgment and the ability to balance risk and productivity in a business environment
- Ability to work independently or collaboratively in a fast-pace environment
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- A strong ability to inspire trust, forge relationships quickly, and earn the confidence and cooperation of business stakeholders
- Diligent and proactive, you have demonstrated excellent legal and business judgment, technical acumen, communication skills and strategic thinking, along with the ability to work independently and cross-functionally with excellent time management and prioritization skills
- Comfortable with and responsive to rapid developments and changes in direction; eager to learn new tech, products, and substantive legal areas to support multiple roles within the legal department
- Familiarity with the aerospace industry and its unique legal challenges Ability to identify and mitigate legal risks while enabling business objectives
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 25% of the time
- Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
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
Skills Required
- 2+ years of experience in a legal role at a private company or law firm
- Subject matter expertise in commercial contracts and intellectual property
- JD with admission to practice law in California
- Strong problem-solving experience and skills
- Good judgment and ability to balance risk and productivity
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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