Propulsion Engineer - Pressure Vessels Lead (COPV)
About The Position
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 Propulsion Engineer, reporting to the Senior Manager, Propulsion Flight Hardware, to design and qualify the pressure vessels human-rated space stations. Haven Station carries composite over-wrapped pressure vessels and metallic tanks for propulsion and for crew life support gases. Vast is building out a team to own the in-house design, development, and flight qualification of these pressure vessels. You set the technical approach, review the designs and analyses before they release, and take an active technical role yourself. You will run a rapid, iterative development cycle and own the full product lifecycle, from clean-sheet concept all the way to module end-of-life. You lead the team as their manager and technical mentor while staying close to the hardware and driving resolution of the hard problems. This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, materials science, or equivalent experience
- 4+ years of experience designing, analyzing, or testing pressure vessels or composite structures for flight or other high consequence use
- Experience carrying hardware from design through build and test
Nice To Haves
- Composite overwrapped pressure vessel design, analysis, or test, for propulsion, life support, or any other application
- Design and qualification to AIAA S-081 or S-080
- Fracture control for crewed spacecraft per NASA-STD-5019
- Filament winding pattern design and composite manufacturing
- Titanium tank fabrication: forgings, superplastic forming, welding, heat treatment, and inspection
- Propellant management device design
- Type IV hydrogen or CNG tank development
- Analysis in Ansys, Abaqus, or Femap/Nastran, including laminate analysis. WoundSim or similar winding simulation is a plus
- Experience leading or mentoring engineers and reviewing their design releases
- Hands-on time in a composites or pressure vessel shop
Responsibilities
- Lead the pressure vessel team: set technical direction, review the work, and develop the responsible engineers and analysts under you
- Serve as technical authority over the Haven Station COPV and metallic tank designs, reviewing and approving releases from the responsible engineers
- Set the analysis and test approach for the team: composite layup analysis, stress and fracture, proof, burst, cycle, and stress rupture testing
- Lead failure investigations on prototype and qualification hardware and carry the findings into the next design iteration
- Own tank requirements and interfaces with Propulsion, ECLSS, and Structures
- Support the responsible engineers with the liner supplier, the winder, and the metallic fabrication shops on specifications, deviations, inspection, and acceptance
- Work with the matrixed manufacturing engineers on producibility, inspection methods, and a plan to bring winding in house
- Write and defend the qualification and fracture control approach for crewed flight
Benefits
- company equity
- medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents
- generous paid time off
- 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
- snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge
- lunch subsidized
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
