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 May 2026. 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 QMS Program Manager, reporting to the Senior Vice President, Quality and Supply Chain, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations. This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
- Contribute to the design, development, and implementation of a robust Quality Management System (QMS) that ensures compliance with international standards (e.g., ISO 9001, AS9100, etc.), regulatory requirements, and customer expectations.
- Partner with engineering, manufacturing, operations, and procurement teams to ensure consistent quality practices across all stages of the product lifecycle, from design to production and delivery.
- Identify opportunities for process optimization and efficiency improvements in design, manufacturing, and testing processes, leveraging data-driven decision-making and quality tools (e.g., Six Sigma, Lean).
- Take ownership of internal and external audits, ensuring the company meets quality certifications, industry standards, and customer requirements. Manage non-conformance issues, corrective actions, and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Ensure all quality-related documentation, such as procedures, work instructions, and inspection reports, are accurate, up-to-date, and compliant with regulatory and internal standards.
- Implement risk management strategies to identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with quality and product performance.
- Regularly communicate program status, key performance indicators (KPIs), and quality metrics to executive leadership and other stakeholders, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree (preferably in engineering, supply chain management, or business) or equivalent experience on the job
- 5+ years of experience in Quality Management, preferably in the aerospace, defense, or space industry.
- Strong knowledge of quality standards (ISO 9001, AS9100, etc.) and regulatory requirements for aerospace and space systems.
- Experience with root cause analysis, failure modes effects analysis (FMEA), risk management, and other quality tools and methodologies.
- Strong understanding of product lifecycle management, particularly in complex engineering environments.
- Excellent communication, organizational, and leadership skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate at all levels of the organization.
- Experience with QMS software tools and data analysis platforms.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Demonstrated familiarity with program/project management and managing associated schedules.
- Ability to make independent judgments with limited information
- Logical and strategic approach to solving problems
- Comfortable working in a high-stress environment balancing several projects at any given time, and the flexibility to adjust for abrupt changes in strategic direction.
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 10% of the time
- Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
Pay Range:
- QMS Program Manager: $94,200 - $140,500
- Senior QMS Program Manager: $120,300 - $185,000
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
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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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