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 2026. It is part of our stepping stone approach to continuous human presence in LEO. 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 seeking a Manager, Thermal Control Systems, reporting to the Senior Manager, Thermal Control Systems Hardware, to lead the development of the thermal and fluid systems that enable artificial gravity and long-term human habitation in space. In this role, you will guide a small team of mechanical engineers while also contributing directly to system architecture, design, and test. You will shape mission-critical hardware that must operate flawlessly in orbit and play a key role in advancing human-rated spaceflight.
This full-time, exempt role is based in Long Beach, CA.
Responsibilities
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead and mentor a team of mechanical engineers responsible for thermal and fluid system hardware.
- Set technical direction, prioritize development efforts, and foster a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
- Provide guidance on design decisions, analyses, and test plans, ensuring high-quality engineering outputs.
- Manage workloads, support professional development, and ensure on-time execution of deliverables.
Technical Ownership
- Own the architecture and performance of thermal control system hardware, including tubing, trays, and fluid loops.
- Lead hardware through its full lifecycle—from design trades through manufacturing, qualification, launch prep, and on-orbit operation.
- Drive rapid prototyping and iterative testing to mature designs in a fast-paced environment.
- Oversee systems engineering tasks, including analyses, requirements, and cross-team integration (i.e. Avionics, Software, Mission Operations, etc.)
- Lead internal and external design reviews and ensure hardware meets human-rated reliability and safety requirements.
- Ensure manufacturable, production-ready designs and collaborate closely with technicians, manufacturing engineers, and integration teams.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related discipline
- Experience working with fluid systems
- 5+ years of hands-on hardware experience (fabrication, assembly, and/or testing)
- 1+ year leading or mentoring engineers
Preferred Skills & Experience
- Leadership experience in a fast-paced hardware development environment
- Ownership of mechanical or fluid systems across multiple development phases
- Strong problem-solving and root-cause analysis skills
- First-principles engineering and ability to guide team-level trade studies
- Experience with rotating machinery
- Proficiency in NX, GD&T, and tolerance analysis
- Structural analysis experience (hand calcs, FEMAP, ANSYS)
- Familiarity with machining, welding, brazing, and tube bending
- Excellent communication and leadership skills in a mission-driven environment
Additional Requirements
- Ability to travel up to 5%
- Willingness to support occasional evening or weekend work during critical mission phases
Pay Range:
- Manager, Thermal Control Systems: $135,800 - $176,400
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
Top Skills
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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