Aerospace Propulsion Systems Engineer

1 day ago


Long Beach, California, United States Vast Full time

Exciting Career Opportunity at Vast

About Us

Vast is a pioneering company in the commercial space industry, dedicated to building artificial gravity space stations that enable long-term human presence in space. Our mission is to revolutionize space exploration and habitation.

Salary Information

The annual salary for this position is $175,000, which may vary based on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand.

Job Description

We are seeking a highly skilled Aerospace Propulsion Systems Engineer to join our team at Vast. As a key member of our propulsion team, you will be responsible for designing, analyzing, building, and testing critical spacecraft systems.

Main Responsibilities:
  • Develop (design, analyze, build, and test) advanced propulsion thrusters, fluid components, tanks/pressure vessels, and/or fluid systems specific to spacecraft serving space stations
  • Own and manage critical spacecraft propulsion hardware/systems, assuming profound responsibility for their design, development, and integration
  • Collaborate with our world-class production team to ensure successful translation of designs into operational spacecraft
Required Skills and Qualifications

To excel in this role, you must possess:

  • Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, manufacturing engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, or physics
  • At least 7 years of experience in mechanical or fluids design, analysis, or build, including student project team and internship experience
  • Demonstrated expertise in direct propulsion development/design engineering
Preferred Skills and Experience

Prior experience in the following areas is highly valued:

  • Advanced degree in aerospace engineering, manufacturing engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, or physics
  • In-depth understanding of spacecraft and/or launch vehicle propulsion systems and fluid components
  • Experience with NX 8.5 or other CAD packages, such as PTC Creo or CATIA, with a solid grasp of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) per ASME Y14.5-1994
  • Proficiency in fundamental principles of compressible and incompressible flow, thermodynamics, thermochemistry, mechanics, materials, and electrical circuits
  • Expertise in finite element analysis (FEA) using software tools like FEMAP, ANSYS, or similar, as well as a deep understanding of fatigue, fracture, and crack propagation
  • Familiarity with metallic and fluid system manufacturing techniques, processes, equipment, and other processes such as machining, electron beam welding, orbital tube welding, tube bending, structural assembly, etc.
  • Strong understanding and experience working with aerospace materials (metals, plastics, composites)
  • Excellent understanding of test methods/setups and data acquisition systems
  • Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals to make informed recommendations even with partial information
  • Passion for advancing the commercial space industry and human spaceflight
  • Strong ability to work effectively in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, other engineers, and managers
  • Highly self-motivated with strong organizational and written/oral communication skills – able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment with a drive for continuous improvement
Additional Requirements

Please note the following additional requirements:

  • Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, to support critical mission milestones
  • Occasional travel to Mojave as needed (up to 10% of the time)
Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a comprehensive compensation package, including company equity, medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and access to a 401(k) retirement plan.



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