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 Staff Thermal Engineer, reporting to the Senior Manager, Thermal Analysis, 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.
In this position, you will work independently and within a team environment, collaborating on tasks performed across a spectrum of disciplines, which will require excellent writing and oral presentation skills. The position will require a complete understanding and wide application of technical principles, theories, and concepts in the field of thermal engineering and experience developing active thermal control systems.
Responsibilities:
- Develop thermal systems requirements.
- Perform thermal analysis to develop and optimize thermal control designs and provide solutions to a wide range of difficult problems.
- Coordinate and partner with other engineering disciplines.
- Document thermal analyses and designs.
- Review and approve drawings for thermal design hardware content.
- Report results of analyses and design specifics to internal management and external customers.
- Work with test engineering to plan and execute subsystem level thermal tests, especially thermal vacuum chamber (TVAC) testing, as well as perform associated analyses.
- Provide feedback regarding impacts of possible cost and/ or schedule changes.
- Work autonomously and be a subject matter expert to help guide junior engineers and cross-functional team members.
Minimum Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or related Engineering discipline with a minimum of 10+ years of related professional work experience, or a Master's degree in a related engineering. discipline and 5+ years of experience.
- Knowledge and understanding of the application of technical principles, theories, and concepts for developing active thermal control systems.
- Expert with thermal analysis tool:, Thermal Desktop.
- Extensive experience with TVAC testing.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Design, analysis and integration experience of spacecraft thermal systems.
- Experience using other thermal analysis tools (FloCAD, AnsysNSYS Mechanical, SINDA/G, SINDA/FLUINT, TSS).
- Experience using fluid analysis tools like AnsysNSYS Fluent, FloEFD, StarCCM+.
- Experience using aerospace standard design tools (NX, CATIA, CREO).
- Experience with space vehicle thermal design and/or integration.
- Experience with active and passive thermal control systems and technologies (pumped fluid loops, heat pipes, etc.)i.e. conduction, radiation, and convection heat transfer methods).
- Spacecraft and/or Payload background with experience through the entire system lifecycle from concept, design, production, integration, test, launch, to operation support.
- Experience working on thermal design and troubleshooting efforts.
- Ability to develop novel concepts for active thermal control systems for space habitats.
- Detail-oriented and have excellent verbal and written communications skills, leadership skills, and organization skills.
Pay Range:
■ Staff Engineer: $159,100 - $205,800
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.
Gallery
