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 Senior Electrical Design Engineer, Avionics, reporting to the Director, Avionics, 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:
- Act as responsible engineer for flight hardware, from conception through build, qualification, flight integration, and ultimately flight operations.
- Perform component selection, design analysis, schematic capture, circuit board design, prototyping, board bring up, debugging, circuit validation, and design documentation for electrical designs.
- Analyze and troubleshoot electronic assemblies, define new processes, design circuits/fixtures/tools, and identify opportunities for improvement in both products and processes.
- Support mission operations by providing real-time input during flight, completing data reviews, monitoring hardware performance, and working with partners to simplify operation of our avionics systems.
- Work with experts from other teams and departments to ensure that fielded systems perform their function while being efficient, manufacturable, and reliable.
- Define acceptance testing and qualification requirements of new and existing hardware, perform development and qualification testing to prove out design, and formally document test results.
- Travel to launch sites for testing and/or operations.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline.
- 5+ years of experience with avionics design, analysis, and/or unit level testing.
- Experience with avionics test equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, current probes.
- Experience with analog, digital, or mixed signal multi-layer PCB design.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Experience with PCBA design and Altium or similar software.
- Ability to creatively solve problems and asses risk.
- Understand electrical schematics and electronics manufacturing to analyze and improve test coverage.
- Hands-on experience with sizing, installing and troubleshooting various electronic components.
- Experience with NX or similar CAD software.
- Competence with electrical test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, network analyzers, power supplies, etc.).
- Strong sense of accountability and integrity with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere.
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 10% travel to support launch campaigns.
Pay Range:
- Senior Electrical Design Engineer: $137,760 - $195,552
- Staff Electrical Design Engineer: $162,360 - $230,472
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
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline
- 5+ years of experience with avionics design, analysis, and/or unit level testing
- Experience with avionics test equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, current probes
- Experience with analog, digital, or mixed signal multi-layer PCB design
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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