Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Thermal Control Systems

Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental, hardware-rich, and low-cost approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station 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. 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 2027, followed by additional Haven modules. Additionally, the company recently announced Vast Satellite , a high-power satellite product line leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo.

Headquartered in Long Beach, California , and with more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, Vast has built the facilities required to manufacture and operate America’s next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for the Moon and Mars, dedicated space stations for government partners, and other crewed systems that will unlock the expanding long-term space economy.

Vast is looking for a Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Thermal Control Systems (TCS) , reporting to the Manager, Structures & Fluids Manufacturing , to lead the team responsible for the development, production, and integration of thermal control hardware for artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities:

Lead the TCS manufacturing engineering team day to day: set priorities, assign ownership, run team rhythms, and mentor engineers

Participate in hiring and onboarding new engineers to the team

Own manufacturing development, production readiness, and build execution for TCS hardware, including pumps, fluid loops, coldplates, heaters, and tubing, while staying hands-on with your own hardware

Own the TCS manufacturing schedule and build sequencing across concurrent vehicle builds

Report hardware status, risks, and mitigation plans to program leadership, including a regular company-wide TCS hardware status update

Partner with design engineering to drive design for manufacturing and assembly and production readiness from early design trades through flight hardware

Drive development and qualification of special processes including welding, brazing, tube bending, cleaning, passivation, leak testing, and pressure testing

Set standards for work instructions, inspection plans, and nonconformance disposition; drive root cause and corrective action to closure

Work with technicians, quality, supply chain, test, integration, and M&P teams to ensure successful system integration

Support supplier development and manufacturing readiness for externally produced components and assemblies

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or science discipline

5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, production engineering, or hardware development for fluid, thermal, environmental control, or life support systems

3+ years of hands-on hardware experience supporting fabrication, assembly, integration, and/or testing

Experience developing manufacturing processes, work instructions, build plans, or production documentation for complex hardware

Experience mentoring engineers or leading a workstream, build, or small team (formal people management experience not required)

Preferred Skills & Experience:

Master’s degree in an engineering discipline

Experience as a technical lead, project lead, or informal team lead on hardware programs

Experience participating in hiring and interviewing engineers

Strong interest in developing into a people manager

Experience supporting production or build execution for aerospace, spacecraft, propulsion, ECLSS, thermal, fluid, or other high-reliability hardware

Strong experience with design for manufacturing and assembly, production readiness, process development, and manufacturing risk reduction

Proactive problem-solving skills, including failure analysis, root cause investigation, corrective action implementation, and design of experiments

Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals to make clear recommendations with partial information

Experience with rotating machinery, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, coldplates, pressure vessels, fans, separators, or other fluid system components

Experience with soft goods, flexible ducting, seals, insulation, or other non-metallic flight hardware

Solid understanding and application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, tolerance stack-up analysis, and inspection planning

Experience with structural analysis methods, including hand calculations, FEMAP, or ANSYS, to evaluate manufacturability, strength, life, and fracture considerations

Knowledge of metallic and fluid system manufacturing techniques, processes, equipment, and special processes, including machining, welding, brazing, tube bending, cleaning, passivation, leak testing, proof testing, and pressure testing

Experience working directly with technicians on the shop floor to troubleshoot builds, improve processes, and execute hardware efficiently

Ability to work well in an integrated, collaborative team environment, including frequent interaction with technicians, engineers, quality, supply chain, and managers

Highly self-motivated with strong organizational and written/oral communication skills; able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment with an ongoing drive for continuous improvement

Pay Range: California

$120,000 — $194,000 USD

We calibrate level and compensation to the selected candidate's experience and demonstrated capability. We welcome applicants across a range of experience levels to apply.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

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 & 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.

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

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.