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 RF Engineer, reporting to the Director of RF Engineering, 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:
- Comprehensive ownership of one or more Vast-designed or COTS radio products from production to mission
- Attain technical proficiency with your component(s) and function as the technical authority on its operation
- Manage and the product development timeline in the context of the project schedule
- Maintain relationships with vendors and hold them accountable for product requirements, deliveries, and schedule
- Define test plans and procedures for acceptance and qualification testing
- Define checkout tests to validate proper operation during and after integration onto the space station
- Define how the components will be used during the mission
- Identify technical issues during development and drive them to resolution
- Guide your component through manufacture, acceptance testing, and qualification testing
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or other relevant engineering or science discipline
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Strong understanding of the theory and usage of standard radio test equipment
- Strong background in radio and electronics test and debug
- Strong understanding of digital modulation formats such as BPSK, QPSK, QAM
- Proficiency writing and maintaining RF link budgets
- Understanding of the basic concepts of forward error correction (FEC) codes
- Familiarity with key receiver specifications including noise figure, sensitivity, and bit error rate
- Experience with aerospace acceptance and qualification test practices
- RF system and circuit design software such as Matlab and Keysight ADS
- Familiarity with RF block lineup design and cascaded noise/linearity analysis
- Familiarity with RF power amplifiers and standard figures of merit such as Psat, P1dB, OIP3, ACLR, and PAE
- Strong understanding of S-parameters
- Understanding of Smith Charts and impedance matching networks
Additional Requirements:
- Electromagnetic simulation software such as HFSS
- Understanding of the OSI networking model
Pay Range:
- RF Engineer Level II: $120,540 - $171,100
- Senior RF Engineer: $147,600 - $209,520
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 of Science in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or relevant engineering or science discipline
- Experience with electromagnetic simulation software such as HFSS
- Understanding of the OSI networking model
- Strong understanding of theory and usage of standard radio test equipment
- Background in radio and electronics test and debug
- Understanding of digital modulation formats such as BPSK, QPSK, QAM
- Proficiency writing and maintaining RF link budgets
- Understanding of basic concepts of forward error correction (FEC) codes
- Familiarity with receiver specifications including noise figure, sensitivity, and bit error rate
- Experience with aerospace acceptance and qualification test practices
- Experience with RF system and circuit design software such as Matlab and Keysight ADS
- Familiarity with RF block lineup design and cascaded noise/linearity analysis
- Familiarity with RF power amplifiers and metrics such as Psat, P1dB, OIP3, ACLR, and PAE
- Strong understanding of S-parameters
- Understanding of Smith Charts and impedance matching networks
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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