Staff Electric Propulsion Systems Engineer

<div class="content-intro"><p>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.</p></div><p>Vast is looking for a<strong> Electric Propulsion Systems Engineer</strong><strong> </strong>, reporting to the<strong> Senior Director of Propulsion,</strong>, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of human-rated space stations.</p> <p>This will be a <strong>full-time, exempt </strong>position located in our<strong> Long Beach</strong> location.</p> <h3><strong>Responsibilities: </strong></h3> <p><strong>Electric Propulsion System Development</strong></p> <ul> <li>Serve as Responsible Engineer for Vast's electric propulsion test facilities, owning technical decisions across the buildup and operation</li> <li>Define and maintain system requirements, procedures, and test plans for thruster testing</li> <li>Establish analysis and test methodology upfront, with clear objectives and success criteria, to support rigorous hardware development and qualification</li> <li>Plan and execute development and qualification test campaigns, including hotfire testing, in partnership with internal teams and external facilities</li> <li>Maintain awareness of and plan for potential future electric propulsion modalities relevant to Vast missions, including Arcjets, Resistojets, and Magnetoplasmadynamic Thrusters (applied-field and self-field)</li> <li>Contribute to forward-looking development of electric propulsion systems using molecular propellants including ASCENT, hydrazine, methane, or other molecular propellants, to enable multimode propulsion architectures that share a common propellant with onboard chemical propulsion systems</li> <li>Set and maintain standards for design practice, analysis methodology, documentation, and test approach within the electric propulsion team</li> <li>Actively coach engineers on RE responsibilities including understanding requirements, validating assumptions, owning outputs, and thinking critically rather than following processes blindly</li> <li>Foster an environment where raising issues early and asking for help are treated as signs of rigor, not weakness</li> <li>Partner closely with the broader Propulsion group, GNC, Power, Structures, Design Reliability, and ECLSS teams to ensure electric propulsion systems are well-integrated at the vehicle level</li> <li>Support design reviews, present technical findings, and contribute to acceptance and qualification documentation</li> <li>Lead or support root cause investigations and corrective actions as issues arise during development, qualification, production, and flight</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Minimum Qualifications:</strong></h3> <ul> <li>B.S. degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, Physics, Engineering Physics, or related field</li> <li>Familiarity with roughing pumps, turbo pumps, and cryogenic pumping systems</li> <li>Experience with high-voltage harnessing in a vacuum environment</li> <li>Demonstrated expertise in electric propulsion system testing</li> <li>Experience with electric propulsion diagnostics, including thrust stands, Faraday probes, and retarding potential analyzers</li> <li>Deep technical knowledge of Hall Effect Thruster design, operation, and qualification</li> <li>Experience with electric propulsion system-level engineering, including thruster-PPU-propellant feed system integration</li> <li>Proven ability to work independently, lead technical efforts, and make sound engineering decisions across broad scope with minimal oversight</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Preferred Skills &amp; Experience: </strong></h3> <ul> <li>Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Engineering Physics, or related field. Given the technical depth and independent judgment required at this level, doctoral preparation is strongly preferred</li> <li>Hands-on experience with electric propulsion qualification/flight test campaigns, including plasma diagnostics, hotfire testing, and performance characterization</li> <li>Demonstrated experience understanding and analyzing Hall thruster plasmas, including discharge characteristics and plume probe data</li> <li>Experience with propellant feed system design and integration for electric propulsion applications</li> <li>Knowledge of spacecraft power systems and their interface with electric propulsion systems</li> <li>Experience supporting human spaceflight programs or flight qualification in a rigorous certification environment</li> <li>Familiarity with additional electric propulsion modalities such as Arcjets, Resistojets, or Magnetoplasmadynamic Thrusters</li> <li>Familiarity with molecular propellant applications in electric propulsion, multimode propulsion architectures, or propellant recovery and reuse in life support integrated systems</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Additional Requirements:</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Ability to travel up to 10% of the time</li> <li>Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones</li> <li>Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Pay Range: </strong></h3> <ul> <li>Propulsion Engineer II: $112,340 - $159,468</li> <li>Senior Propulsion Engineer: $137,760 - $195,552</li> <li>Staff Propulsion Engineer: $162,360 - $230,472</li> </ul><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="title">Pay Range: California</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$112,340</span><span class="divider">&mdash;</span><span>$230,472 USD</span></div></div></div><div class="content-conclusion"><div style="line-height: 1;"> </div> <div style="line-height: 1;"><strong>COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS</strong></div> <div style="line-height: 1;"> </div> <div style="line-height: 1;"> <div> <div data-qa="message_pane"> <div> <div id="message-list"> <div id="message-list"> <div data-qa="slack_kit_scrollbar"> <div> <div data-qa="slack_kit_list"> <div id="message-list_1770163429.476589" data-qa="virtual-list-item" data-item-key="1770163429.476589"> <div data-qa="message_container" data-qa-unprocessed="false" data-qa-placeholder="false" data-msg-ts="1770163429.476589" data-msg-channel-id="D1T52LDR4"> <div data-qa-hover="true"> <div> <div> <div> <div data-qa="message_content"> <div> <div data-qa="message-text"> <div data-qa="block-kit-renderer"> <div> <div> <div>Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee &amp; onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="message-list_bottomSpacer" data-qa="virtual-list-item" data-item-key="bottomSpacer"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div style="line-height: 1;"> <p><strong>U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS</strong></p> 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 <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/section-120.62">22 C.F.R. § 120.62</a> 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.</div> <div style="line-height: 1;"> </div> <p style="line-height: 1;"><strong>EQUAL OPPORTUNITY</strong></p> <div style="line-height: 1;">Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.</div></div>