Senior Structures Engineer, Lunar

Vast•Long Beach, CA

19h•$137,000 - $230,000•Onsite

About The Position

Vast is seeking a Senior Structures Engineer, Lunar, to support the development of systems for Vast’s Lunar ecosystem. This role is crucial for shaping humanity's next era of lunar exploration. As one of the earliest Structures Engineers on the Lunar team, you will have a significant impact on developing the lunar ecosystem, covering components and systems ranging from primary pressure hulls and lunar surface habitat structures to secondary structures, closeouts, mechanisms, and micrometeoroid shielding. You will be responsible for conceptualizing, designing, building, and testing engineered systems, requiring a strong understanding of mechanical design, structural safety factors, welding processes, and materials engineering. The ideal candidate will be a full-ownership responsible engineer with broad knowledge capable of taking a product from conception to completion.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or a related field.
5+ years of experience in structural design of aerospace pressurized or human-rated hardware, with direct ownership from design through hardware delivery.
5+ years of experience with CAD and FEA software packages (NX or equivalent) and experience with GD&T implementation and analysis (ASME Y14.5).
Demonstrated experience owning a structural hardware item end-to-end (design, build, and test), not solely in an analysis capacity.

Nice To Haves

Experience working on lunar engineering programs.
Design of structures and components for a high-performance vehicle or spacecraft.
Experience designing pressure vessels, hatches, or airlock mechanisms for crewed spacecraft or habitats.
Familiarity with spacecraft structural specifications such as SMC-S-016 and NASA-STD-5001.
Analysis work in recent versions of Ansys, Femap/Nastran, or Abaqus.
Experience leading hardware through structural verification testing (proof pressure, burst, functional seal/hatch cycling).
Familiarity with the lunar surface or deep-space thermal, radiation, and solar environment (or equivalent extreme-environment design experience).
Prior experience in a fast-paced commercial space or startup hardware environment, comfortable with high ownership and limited process overhead.

Responsibilities

Serve as the accountable owner (Responsible Engineer) for end-to-end lunar engineering projects such as habitation modules, airlocks, nodes, and pallets.
Work with lunar subject matter experts and systems architects to bring lunar concepts to reality that mesh with Vast’s larger lunar ecosystem and NASA’s Moon Base architecture.
Own the design and CAD (NX or equivalent) development of primary and secondary structures for lunar ecosystem.
Develop understanding of static and dynamic loads, vibrations, thermal, and other environmental considerations unique to the lunar surface to drive design decisions.
Define structural requirements, design loads, and safety margins for a human-rated pressurized structure operating in the lunar environment.
Perform mechanical design and analysis, develop manufacturing drawings, following hardware through the entire process from concept to build.
Lead trades and own interfaces with subsystems, including pressure vessel architecture, hatch/seal mechanisms, and material selection for lunar exposure conditions.
Work with fabricators and technicians to improve designs, develop processes, and resolve issues.
Define and execute test and verification plans, including structural, pressure, and hatch/seal performance testing.
Support hardware bring-up, checkout, and anomaly resolution during build and test.
Represent the subsystem at design reviews, coordinating with Life Support (ECLSS), Thermal, Power, and Avionics teams on interface requirements.
Help establish design standards and practices for the Lunar program as its first structures hire.