Senior Manager, Spacecraft Systems

Vast • Long Beach, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Vast is seeking a Senior Manager, Spacecraft Operations to lead mission operations for its crewed and uncrewed spacecraft missions. Reporting to the VP of Mission Operations, this full-time, exempt role is based on-site at Vast’s headquarters in Long Beach, California. The position is responsible for planning and executing missions and leading mission operations engineers through all phases, from early vehicle design and concept of operations to activation, checkout, on-orbit operations, payload and science activities, anomaly resolution, and end-of-life decommissioning or deorbit.

The Senior Manager will work with vehicle, payload, mission operations, and ground software engineers from early spacecraft architecture trades onward to ensure operational needs are incorporated into spacecraft and ground systems. The role sets technical standards for safe, reliable, and efficient operations while building the processes, team, and tools needed to scale mission cadence. In addition to leadership and administrative duties, the position supports 24/7 console operations, including possible nights, weekends, holidays, and increased support during critical mission milestones. Travel may be required up to 20% of the time. Access to export-controlled information requires the applicant to be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, or another engineering discipline, or equivalent experience.
• 10 or more years operating complex systems in spaceflight, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability environments.
• Experience in human spaceflight mission operations, such as ISS flight control, commercial crew operations, or a comparable crewed program.
• Experience as a flight controller or console operator for a crewed or complex uncrewed vehicle.
• At least 3 years of leadership experience as a people manager, technical lead, or both, including mentoring and developing engineers.
• Experience working across engineering disciplines to resolve operational issues.
• Experience briefing senior leadership and customers on complex technical issues, including during anomalies, with clear and decisive recommendations.
• Ability to work on-site at Vast’s headquarters in Long Beach, California.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time.
• Ability to support 24/7 console operations, potentially including nights, weekends, and holidays, and additional support during critical mission milestones.
• Must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR to access export-controlled information and technology.

Nice To Haves

• Experience building or substantially reshaping an operations team, process, or system in a fast-moving organization.
• Experience in spacecraft design, build, test, and integration environments.
• Familiarity with the satellite and/or crew vehicle mission lifecycle from early trades through flight.
• Experience developing operations products, including flight rules and procedures.
• Experience with mission operations software, automation, or tooling.

Responsibilities

• Own operational readiness for multiple crewed and uncrewed missions, ensuring safe and successful outcomes across commissioning, routine operations, anomaly response, and deorbit.
• Work with Mission Management to translate customer and internal requirements into a robust Concept of Operations and detailed mission timelines balancing payload, vehicle, and program needs.
• Lead the Haven mission operations team by establishing roles, responsibilities, interfaces, and operating rhythms that enable fast decisions and effective execution.
• Grow the mission operations team to support Haven-1 and Haven Station; hire, mentor, and coach Mission Operations Engineers and provide technical guidance, career development, and performance management.
• Lead cross-disciplinary mission operations development, including flight rules, procedures, mission timelines, and go/no-go criteria.
• Identify and prioritize improvements to mission operations software and mission systems, and work with ground software and mission systems engineers to deliver scalable upgrades.
• Achieve and maintain console certification.
• Monitor on-orbit spacecraft performance, triage anomalies, and drive resolution through disciplined escalation and root-cause investigation.
• Support 24/7 console shifts for commissioning, critical operations, and anomaly response.

Benefits

• Company equity for full-time employees.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
• Paid time off, including up to 20+ days of vacation for 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, cold drinks, dinner meals, and access to an on-site barista; lunch is subsidized.

What This Job Offers

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