Controls & Automation Engineer

Vast • Long Beach, CA

8d • Onsite

About The Position

Vast is hiring a Controls & Automation Engineer to develop systems behind human-rated space stations and support Haven-1 as it transitions from design to a flight-ready station. The role is full-time, exempt, and based in Long Beach, California. The engineer will develop and maintain the data acquisition and controls stack used by test teams, establish standards for test assets and practices, and design and own complex controls systems for testing space-rated hardware, including both hardware and software components. The role collaborates with software, thermal, manufacturing, propulsion, ECLSS, and mechanical test teams, and includes troubleshooting test assets to maintain performance. Applicants are welcomed across a range of experience levels; compensation and level are calibrated to experience and demonstrated capability. Evening and/or weekend work may be required to support critical mission milestones.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing, or electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related technical field.
• Manufacturing experience, including internships, managing a product or product line across multiple work centers and/or departments; alternatively, experience with fluid, pressurized, propulsion, or environmental control hardware in design, manufacturing, or test.
• Hands-on fabrication, assembly, and/or integration experience.
• CAD proficiency; NX is preferred.
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones.

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on hardware-building or testing experience in industry or through student teams such as Formula SAE, rocketry, CubeSat, or robotics.
• Experience with aerospace, spacecraft, propulsion, or other safety-critical or high-reliability hardware.
• Experience taking designs or processes from concept through build or test, and from R&D to production.
• Familiarity with CAD tools, ideally Siemens NX, and PLM tools such as Teamcenter.
• Exposure to thermal or structural analysis using Ansys or similar tools.
• Awareness of aerospace workmanship, design, and environmental test standards such as IPC, SMC-S-016, NASA-STD-5001, or MIL-STD-810.
• Proficiency applying GD&T.
• Strong problem-solving skills, including troubleshooting and structured root cause analysis.
• Strong attention to detail, clear communication, and ability to work well in cross-functional teams.
• For senior-level candidates: experience mentoring engineers or technicians and managing multiple projects at once.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a data acquisition and controls stack supporting partnering test teams at the Long Beach site.
• Create software tools and set standards for test assets and practices.
• Design, implement, and own complex control systems for testing space-rated hardware, including hardware and software components.
• Collaborate across software, thermal, manufacturing, propulsion, ECLSS, and mechanical test teams to improve testing practices, gather upgrade requests, and define new test-stack capabilities.
• Troubleshoot and debug test assets to resolve issues quickly and ensure optimal test system performance.

Benefits

• Company equity for full-time employees.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
• Paid time off; exempt staff may receive up to 20+ days of vacation and non-exempt staff up to 10+ days, 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.
• Other discounts and perks.
• Free snacks, drip coffee, cold drinks, and dinner meals; onsite barista.
• Subsidized lunch.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level