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 Subcontracts Specialist, IT/Software, reporting to the SVP of Supply Chain and Quality, 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:
- Coordinate with and lead internal stakeholders to identify IT needs, specifications/requirements and development of associated Subcontracting strategies.
- Develop and execute procurement strategies to source IT suppliers efficiently and cost-effectively.
- Conduct market research to identify potential suppliers, evaluate their capabilities, and negotiate contracts and agreements per RFQ/RFP guidelines
- Manage the entire procurement lifecycle, from supplier selection and contract negotiation to performance monitoring and contract renewal.
- Collaborate with IT and Legal teams to ensure contracts and agreements comply with company policies and relevant regulations.
- Monitor supplier performance, resolve any issues or disputes, and enforce contract terms as necessary.
- Seek alternate and innovative ideas to provide business solutions, challenge requirements and specifications to create competitive advantage
- Ensure all procurement activities are conducted in accordance with proper procedures and protocols. Track execution to sourcing and procurement plans for all projects per cost and timeline
Minimum Qualifications:
- Experience in negotiating software and IT contracts, including but not limited to, pricing, lead times and favorable= terms and conditions
- Experience in generating RFPs and managing delivery schedules
- Ability to negotiate for indirect products including, SaaS and hardware
- Bachelor of Science degree in an Engineering or Business-related field.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Experience with subcontracts, purchasing or contracts within an aerospace environment
- Negotiation skills with contracts exceeding $1 million with tight deadline requirements
- Demonstrated executive presence and communications, demonstrated experience in generating and conducting briefings to senior leadership
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 20% of the time
- Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
Pay Range:
- Subcontracts Specialist, IT Support, Software: $79,200 - $108,000
- Senior Subcontract Specialist, IT Support, Software: $109,000-$148,500
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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