Mechanical Engineering, Avionics (New Grad)

Vast • Long Beach, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Vast is hiring a new-graduate Mechanical Engineer, Avionics, to help develop systems for human-rated space stations. The role involves designing, building, and testing mechanical solutions for space technology, including avionics hardware and crew-interfacing equipment. The engineer will work with electrical engineering, senior engineers, and technicians, and will contribute to design, analysis, documentation, testing, and qualification of flight hardware. This is a full-time, exempt position located in Long Beach, California.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in mechanical, aerospace, or civil engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related technical field.
• Coursework, project, or internship experience designing and developing mechanical components or systems.
• Familiarity with 3D CAD and FEA software through coursework, student project teams, or internships.
• Understanding of GD&T fundamentals (ASME Y14.5).
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
• Must be a U.S. person as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing.

Nice To Haves

• Participation in hands-on engineering teams such as Formula SAE, rocketry, CubeSat, or robotics.
• A portfolio or examples of designs taken from concept through build or test.
• Coursework, project, or internship experience designing structures or components for a high-performance vehicle or spacecraft.
• Familiarity with CAD tools, ideally NX, and exposure to PLM tools such as Teamcenter.
• Exposure to thermal or structural analysis using Ansys, Femap/Nastran, Abaqus, or similar tools.
• Working knowledge of GD&T fundamentals (ASME Y14.5).
• A curious, hands-on approach to problem solving, including interest in troubleshooting and root cause analysis.
• Hands-on experience building or testing hardware through internships, co-ops, machine shops, or student project teams.
• Awareness of aerospace design and environmental test standards such as SMC-S-016, NASA-STD-5001, or MIL-STD-810.

Responsibilities

• Design avionics enclosures, mounts, and brackets for components such as batteries and crew-interfacing hardware, with guidance from senior engineers.
• Work with the electrical engineering team to package rugged printed circuit board assemblies.
• Perform thermal and structural analyses to evaluate designs for harsh environments.
• Create engineering drawings and maintain current design documentation as hardware changes.
• Contribute to trade studies and help write interface and specification documents.
• Help plan and run tests, collect and interpret data, and support qualification of flight hardware.
• Help verify requirements through test, analysis, inspection, or demonstration.
• Work hands-on with technicians to build, assemble, and install hardware on the space station.

Benefits

• Company equity.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
• Generous paid time off, including up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days 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.
• Other discounts and perks.
• Free snacks, drip coffee, onsite barista service, cold drinks, and dinner meals; subsidized lunch.

What This Job Offers

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