--- title: 'Senior Manufacturing Engineer, ECLSS at Vast' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-manufacturing-engineer-eclss-vast-long-beach-california-w0rcdcjdvygr' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-10' --- # Senior Manufacturing Engineer, ECLSS at Vast - **Company:** Vast - **Location:** Long Beach California, United States - **Compensation:** $137k–$230k - **Posted:** 2026-05-21 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10 - **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/vast/jobs/4683183006?gh_jid=4683183006 ## Job description Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental, hardware-rich, and low-cost approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven-1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches in 2027, followed by additional Haven modules. Additionally, the company recently announced Vast Satellite, a high-power satellite product line leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, and with more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, Vast has built the facilities required to manufacture and operate America’s next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for the Moon and Mars, dedicated space stations for government partners, and other crewed systems that will unlock the expanding long-term space economy. Vast is looking for a Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Environmental Control and Life Support Systems, reporting to the Senior Manager, ECLSS Manufacturing, to support the development, production, and integration of the systems required for human-rated space stations. This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location. This role owns the fluid systems at the core of ECLSS: water, air, thermal, and pressurized gas hardware. You will define how new hardware is built the first time, prove it out through high pressure test and acceptance, and carry it into repeatable production across successive Haven modules. Responsibilities: - Own the manufacturing development, production readiness, and build execution of ECLSS fluid hardware for our artificial-gravity space station - Develop, mature, and optimize manufacturing processes for ECLSS components and assemblies, from first builds through production and flight hardware - Own the high pressure fluid test flow for assigned hardware, including proof, leak, and functional test planning, execution support, and data disposition - Partner closely with design engineering to ensure hardware is manufacturable, reliable, inspectable, and scalable from early design trades through final production - Create and maintain manufacturing plans, work instructions, assembly procedures, inspection plans, and production documentation - Drive hands-on fabrication, assembly, integration, and test activities in a fast-paced hardware development environment - Identify and resolve production issues through root cause analysis, failure investigation, corrective actions, and continuous improvement - Lead design-for-manufacturing and design-for-assembly reviews internally and with suppliers - Own manufacturing schedules, build sequencing, and production execution for assigned ECLSS hardware from early development through launch vehicle integration - Work with technicians, quality, supply chain, design engineering, test engineering, avionics, software, and mission operations teams to ensure successful system integration - Support supplier development and manufacturing readiness for externally produced components and assemblies - Evaluate and implement manufacturing techniques for metallic, fluid, thermal, and soft-goods hardware, including machining, welding, brazing, tube bending, cleaning, bonding, and assembly - Bring technical rigor, ownership, and continuous improvement to all aspects of manufacturing engineering Additional Responsibilities at Staff Level: - Set manufacturing strategy and standards across the ECLSS fluid hardware portfolio rather than a single subsystem - Define and drive process, tooling, and inspection standardization across concurrent Haven module builds - Serve as technical authority on manufacturing plans, build approaches, and high pressure test flows produced by other engineers - Mentor and raise the technical level of Manufacturing Engineers I through Senior across the ECLSS team - Own the manufacturing risk picture for ECLSS and drive risk reduction ahead of program milestones - Represent ECLSS Manufacturing in program-level reviews and lead cross-organizational manufacturing initiatives Minimum Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree in an engineering or science discipline - Senior Manufacturing Engineer: 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, production engineering, or hardware development for fluid, thermal, environmental control, or life support systems - Staff Manufacturing Engineer: 8+ years of the above, with demonstrated technical leadership across a subsystem, program, or team - 3+ years of hands-on hardware experience supporting fabrication, assembly, integration, and/or testing - Experience developing manufacturing processes, work instructions, build plans, or production documentation for complex hardware Preferred Skills & Experience: - Master's degree in an engineering discipline - Experience supporting production or build execution for aerospace, spacecraft, propulsion, ECLSS, thermal, fluid, or other high-reliability hardware - Strong experience with design for manufacturing and assembly, production readiness, process development, and manufacturing risk reduction - Experience owning high pressure fluid and gas testing, including proof, burst, pressure decay, helium mass spectrometry leak testing, and functional testing - Experience with oxygen-clean and precision-clean fluid systems, including cleanliness specification and verification - Demonstrated ownership of a first build or first article through to repeatable production - Proactive problem-solving skills, including failure analysis, root cause investigation, corrective action implementation, and design of experiments - Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals to make clear recommendations with partial information - Experience with rotating machinery, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, pressure vessels, fans, separators, or other fluid system components - Experience with soft goods, flexible ducting, seals, insulation, or other non-metallic flight hardware - Experience with NX - Solid understanding and application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, tolerance stack-up analysis, and inspection planning - Experience with structural analysis methods, including hand calculations, FEMAP, or ANSYS, to evaluate manufacturability, strength, life, and fracture considerations - Knowledge of metallic and fluid system manufacturing techniques, processes, equipment, and special processes, including machining, welding, brazing, tube bending, cleaning, passivation, leak testing, proof testing, and pressure testing - Experience working directly with technicians on the shop floor to troubleshoot builds, improve processes, and execute hardware efficiently - Ability to work well in an integrated, collaborative team environment, including frequent interaction with technicians, engineers, quality, supply chain, 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 an ongoing drive for continuous improvement Additional Requirements: - Ability to travel up to 10% of the time - Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones - Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted - Ability to work in a shop floor environment with pressurized systems and personal protective equipment requirements Pay Range: - Senior Manufacturing Engineer: $137,760 - $192,552 - Staff Manufacturing Engineer: $162,360 - $230,472 Pay Range: California $137,000—$230,000 USD We calibrate level and compensation to the selected candidate's experience and demonstrated capability. We welcome applicants across a range of experience levels to apply. ## 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: medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-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, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, 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. § 120.62](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/section-120.62) 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. ## About Vast ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Aerospace, space infrastructure, commercial space stations - **Target customers**: B2B (government space agencies, research institutions, pharmaceutical/biotech companies, satellite operators), B2C (private astronaut missions) - **Mission or purpose statement**: “Our long-term vision is to create artificial gravity stations, allowing humanity to live and work in space without long-term harm to the body.” – Jed McCaleb ## Products & Services - **Haven-1**: The world’s first commercial space station, a single-module habitat launching in 2027 aboard a Falcon 9. Designed for 4-crew missions of up to 30 days, with microgravity research lab (10 payload slots), large window dome, always-on Wi-Fi, and Starlink laser communications. [vastspace.com](https://www.vastspace.com/) - **Haven-2**: A planned multi-module space station designed as a commercial successor to the ISS. First module (based on Haven-1 but stretched) to launch on Falcon Heavy in 2028, with full configuration of eight modules by 2032. Will compete for NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) Phase 2. [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vast_(company)) - **Haven Demo**: A 500 kg demonstration satellite launched in November 2025, successfully tested communications, power, propulsion, and deorbit capabilities. Operated for three months before controlled reentry in February 2026. [vastspace.com](https://www.vastspace.com/) - **High-Power Satellite Buses**: Leveraging in-house space station technology, Vast has expanded into designing and building high-power satellite buses for commercial and government customers. [vastspace.com](https://www.vastspace.com/) ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed. However, the company raised $500M in March 2026 ($300M equity + $200M debt). [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vast_(company)) - **Key Metric**: Total funding to date – at least $500M (March 2026), plus prior undisclosed rounds led by founder Jed McCaleb. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Balerion Space Ventures, IQT, Qatar Investment Authority, Mitsui & Co., MUFG, Nikon Corporation, Stellar Ventures, Space Capital, Earthrise Ventures, Jed McCaleb. Partners include SpaceX (launch provider, Starlink), Impulse Space (propulsion), AnySignal, TRL11, Addvalue, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, CASIS, UK Space Agency, European Space Agency, NASA (CCSC-2 agreement). [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vast_(company)) [vastspace.com](https://www.vastspace.com/) - **Growth Signals**: - Won the sixth commercial ISS astronaut mission contract (Feb 2026), with ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet as commander. - Signed multi-mission agreements with France (to ISS and Haven-1) and the Czech Republic (via ESA). - Completed primary structure of Haven-1 – the first U.S. space station flight article built in over 20 years. - Headcount grew from 606+ (Oct 2024) to “1000+ team members” by mid-2026. - Former NASA CEO Steve Isakowitz and veteran astronauts Andrew Feustel and Garrett Reisman joined as advisors/team members. [vastspace.com](https://www.vastspace.com/) [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vast_(company)) ## Competitive Advantages - **First-mover in commercial space stations**: Vast is the only operational commercial space station company to have flown and operated its own spacecraft in orbit (Haven Demo). - **Hardware-rich, low-cost approach**: Rapid iteration and in-house manufacturing enable faster development than competitors. - **Artificial gravity vision**: Long-term differentiator for human health in space – a key gap in current ISS and other station designs. - **Strong talent pipeline**: Leadership includes serial entrepreneurs (Max Haot, Jed McCaleb) and top SpaceX and NASA veterans (CTO Alex Hudson, COO Kris Young, astronaut Andrew Feustel). - **Strategic partnerships**: Deep relationships with SpaceX, international space agencies, and research institutions provide launch, funding, and mission opportunities. ## Strategic Focus - **Haven-1 launch and crewed missions**: Complete assembly, launch in 2027, and execute the first Vast-1 crew mission (4 astronauts, ~14 days). - **Haven-2 development**: Compete for NASA’s CLD Phase 2 contract (decision expected July 2026) to become a primary ISS replacement. - **Expand microgravity research network**: Partner with pharmaceutical, biotech, and materials science companies for in-space manufacturing and R&D. - **International expansion**: Secure additional government astronaut missions (France, UK, Czech Republic) and explore Indian launch capabilities. - **High-power satellite bus business**: Leverage in-house technology to capture commercial and defense satellite contracts. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: “All in” – bottom-up engineering, first principles, extreme ownership, rapid progress, and celebration of wins. Emphasizes respect, curiosity, and excellence. [vastspace.com](https://www.vastspace.com/careers) - **Benefits**: Long-term equity incentive, 401(k), generous PTO with annual cash-out, paid parental leave, comprehensive medical/dental/vision, subsidized meals, fitness memberships, and wellness benefits. [vastspace.com](https://www.vastspace.com/careers) - **Work environment**: In-office in Long Beach, CA. State-of-the-art 115,000 sq ft facility with manufacturing operations. - **Engineering culture**: Agile, risk-tolerant, and driven by passion for space. Team includes former SpaceX, NASA, and top aerospace engineers. - **Impact**: Directly building the future of long-term space habitation – a mission-driven environment with ambitious timelines and tangible results. ## Sources 1. [vastspace.com](https://www.vastspace.com/) 2. [vastspace.com/careers](https://www.vastspace.com/careers) 3. [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vast_(company)) 4. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/vastspace) ## Other roles at Vast - [Manufacturing Engineer, ECLSS](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-engineer-eclss-vast-long-beach-california-645bcq27g1pc) — Long Beach California, United States - [Manufacturing Planner, Integration](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-planner-integration-vast-long-beach-california-b7r9b3m9bx3a) — Long Beach California, United States - [Supervisor, Environmental Testing](https://feeny.ai/job/supervisor-environmental-testing-vast-long-beach-california-q9ynerjbm8m1) — Long Beach California, United States - [Mechanical Test Engineer II](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-test-engineer-ii-vast-long-beach-california-zabvn2h2197y) — Long Beach California, United States - [Quality Inspector](https://feeny.ai/job/quality-inspector-vast-long-beach-california-0wvkcgzja47e) — Long Beach California, United States - [RF Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/rf-engineer-vast-long-beach-california-5ynafbpc9bk3) — Long Beach California, United States - [Test Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/test-specialist-vast-long-beach-california-d36h0mq9rq6s) — Long Beach California, United States - [Avionics Test Technician II](https://feeny.ai/job/avionics-test-technician-ii-vast-long-beach-california-6bpmydz1ggs9) — Long Beach California, United States - [People Business Partner](https://feeny.ai/job/people-business-partner-vast-long-beach-california-966jzmxtfg0x) — Long Beach California, United States - [Avionics Senior Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/avionics-senior-mechanical-engineer-vast-long-beach-california-mpbht40qvmw3) — Long Beach California, United States