Director, Government Affairs and National Security Programs

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 May 2026. 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 looking for a Director, Government Affairs and National Security Programs, reporting to the Vice President of Government Affairs, to lead and expand the company's engagement with the U.S. Department of Defense and associated national security stakeholders. This role will drive policy, partnership, and advocacy strategies to advance Vast's initiatives to launch and operate the world's leading commercial space stations in support of both civil and national security space objectives.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Washington D.C. location.

Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership
  
  Develop and execute a comprehensive DoD and national security engagement strategy aligned with Vast's government affairs and policy objectives.
  
  Collaborate across internal teams including Legal, Programs, Engineering, and Business Development to align advocacy efforts with mission and programmatic priorities.
• DoD and Interagency Engagement
  
  Build and maintain strong relationships with key offices within the Department of Defense, U.S. Space Force, Air Force, Space Development Agency (SDA), Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), and other defense-related organizations.
  
  Engage with relevant Congressional committees and staff, particularly those overseeing defense, space, and appropriations matters.
  
  Coordinate with the National SecurityCouncil (NSC), Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and others in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) when cross-agency alignment is required.
• Policy and Advocacy
  
  Monitor, analyze, and interpret U.S. defense and national security policy, legislation, and appropriations developments impacting commercial space capabilities.
  
  Prepare policy briefs, talking points, and legislative summaries to inform internal leadership and support strategic decision-making.
  
  Develop recommendations and written submissions for defense-related requests for information (RFIs), trade reports, and industry-government engagements.
• Program and Partnership Support
  
  Collaborate with Vast's business development team to support DoD-related contracting opportunities, cooperative agreements, and partnerships.
  
  Identify emerging defense needs where Vast's commercial capabilities can contribute to resilience, mission assurance, and space domain awareness objectives.
  
  Provide policy support for defense-related technology initiatives, security reviews, and regulatory engagement.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 8+ years of professional experience in government affairs

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience working on DOD space programs and policies
• Experience with government contracting and government procurement
• Experience with Congressional appropriations and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) process
• Proven ability to adapt to rapidly changing priorities and schedules with ease and grace
• Ability to simplify complex concepts into straightforward and concise explanations
• Comfortable operating outside of areas of expertise and in new territory
• Excellent communication, analytical, collaboration, and interpersonal skills
• Self-starter with excellent time-management and prioritization skills

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time
• Ability to obtain appropriate security clearance to support DOD space programs

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: 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, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with 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.

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a "U.S. person" as defined by 22 C.F.R. § or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.