Senior Manager, Propulsion Design

Vast • Long Beach, CA

1d

About The Position

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. We are building artificial gravity space stations, allowing long-term stays in space without the adverse effects of zero-gravity. Our initial crewed space habitat will be Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station when it launches into low-Earth orbit in 2026. It is part of our stepping stone approach to continuous human presence in LEO. 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. VAST is seeking a Senior Manager of Propulsion Analysis to lead and grow our multidisciplinary analysis team. This role will focus on advancing Vast’s structural analysis capabilities while also integrating fluid and thermal modeling into overall space station system performance. You will manage a team of analysts across structural, thermal, and fluid domains, set technical standards, and ensure models and simulations directly inform design decisions and certification.

Requirements

• B.S. degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related Engineering field.
• 8+ years of relevant aerospace design and analysis experience.
• 2+ years of experience overseeing / managing a technical engineering or analysis team.
• Strong expertise in structural analysis, including FEA modeling, stress analysis, and load case development.
• Experience with thermo fluid analysis tools (CFD, 1-D system modeling, etc.)
• Knowledge of mechanical design, manufacturing processes, and design-for-manufacturability principles.

Nice To Haves

• M.S. or higher in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related Engineering.
• Experience in human spaceflight hardware design and analysis .
• Expertise in multiphase fluid dynamics, propellant management, and slosh modeling under low-gravity conditions.
• Experience with thermo-mechanical fatigue, fracture analysis, and spectrum loading fatigue analysis.
• Hands-on experience with high-pressure gas systems, transient fluid dynamics and heat exchangers.
• 5+ years of experience with liquid or gas rocket engine combustion devices, including RCS design.
• Track record of leading multidisciplinary teams linking analysis predictions with test and qualification data to accelerate hardware development and certification.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership Manage and lead a team of up to 6 analysts, including hiring, mentoring, and technical development.
• Set standards for analysis methods, documentation, and best practices in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Expand company capabilities in analysis by validating and establishing methods and practices across structural, fluid, and thermal domains.
• Structural Analysis Create and maintain FEA models of propulsion components to support design and certification.
• Define and review critical loads and load cases in collaboration with GNC, fluids analysis, dynamics/loads engineers and design teams.
• Mentor design and analysis engineers in analysis methods and validation via testing to review/approve component drawings with feedback.
• Partner with test engineering to plan and execute structural and dynamic tests, and perform associated analyses.
• Fluids & Thermal Analysis Oversee multiphase propellant feed system and microgravity fluid behavior modeling, including vaporization, condensation, propellant acquisition and slosh dynamics.
• Guide high-pressure gas system analysis, transient flow behavior (e.g., water hammer, adiabatic compression), and thruster plume impingement studies.
• Support development and validation of propulsion fluid systems using best practices Integrate simulation results with ground and flight test data to validate models and refine designs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration Partner closely with design, manufacturing, propulsion, thermal, and GN&C teams to ensure analysis informs critical decisions.
• Present technical findings at design reviews and contribute to NASA certification processes.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions when issues arise.

Benefits

• 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents
• flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 10 days of vacation for non-exempt staff
• paid parental leave
• short and long-term disability insurance
• life insurance
• access to a 401(k) retirement plan
• One Medical membership
• ClassPass credits
• personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health
• snacks, drip coffee, 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees