At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations 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. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. 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, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. 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 seeking a highly accomplished and strategic Director, Loads & Dynamics, reporting to the Vice President of Structures & Mechanical Systems, to lead and scale the Loads & Dynamics organization supporting next-generation human-rated space stations and spacecraft.
The ideal candidate will bring extensive technical expertise in spacecraft or launch vehicle dynamics, proven experience building and leading high-performing engineering teams, and a track record of delivering complex aerospace programs from concept through flight operations.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
- Lead, scale, and develop the Loads & Dynamics organization, including multiple engineering teams and managers responsible for low- and high-frequency loads and environment predictions across all spacecraft programs and product lines.
- Define and execute the long-term technical strategy and roadmap for the Loads & Dynamics discipline, aligned with company objectives, program milestones, and business growth plans.
- Own department-level budget, headcount planning, capital investments, and resource allocation decisions to support current and future program needs.
- Drive execution excellence across the full product lifecycle, including concept development, requirements definition, analysis, testing, verification, qualification, flight support, and on-orbit operations.
- Establish and maintain system-level dynamic models, load cases, environments, and methodologies to support spacecraft design, integration, certification, and operations across multiple vehicle programs.
- Define internal loads and environmental requirements derived from system-level requirements, including quasi-static, random vibration, shock, and acoustic environments.
- Provide technical authority and oversight for vibration and shock requirement tailoring, test planning, and qualification verification activities across all programs.
- Lead the development, correlation, and continuous improvement of finite element and dynamic prediction models using test data, flight data, and lessons learned.
- Establish standardized post-processing tools, methodologies, and best practices for dynamic analyses, test data reduction, and high-speed data processing across teams.
- Oversee assessment of vendor and supplier hardware capabilities against internally generated dynamic predictions and qualification requirements.
- Partner with senior leadership across Structures, Propulsion, Thermal, Avionics, GNC, Manufacturing, Test, Systems Engineering, and Program Management to ensure integrated vehicle performance and successful hardware delivery.
- Lead and oversee technical reviews, design trades, failure investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action efforts related to dynamic environments and structural performance.
- Provide executive-level technical leadership for spacecraft qualification activities, including vibration, modal, acoustic, and shock testing campaigns.
- Establish organizational priorities, staffing strategies, succession plans, and capability development initiatives to build a world-class Loads & Dynamics team.
- Serve as technical authority and risk management leader for dynamic environments, ensuring system performance, reliability, safety, and compliance with aerospace standards, certification requirements, and customer specifications.
- Develop and mentor managers and senior engineers, fostering a culture of accountability, technical excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Drive organizational and process improvements that enhance modeling accuracy, analysis efficiency, product quality, and program execution performance across the department.
- Build and maintain relationships with external customers, agencies, suppliers, contractors, and test facilities to support development, qualification, and mission success.
- Represent the Loads & Dynamics organization in executive leadership forums, program reviews, customer meetings, and industry engagements.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- 12+ years of engineering experience in aerospace or other safety-critical industries.
- 5+ years of engineering management experience, including experience managing managers or leading multiple teams.
- Extensive experience in loads and environments prediction, structural dynamics, vibration, acoustic, shock, and coupled systems analyses for spacecraft, launch vehicles, or other flight-critical systems.
- Deep expertise in structural dynamics fundamentals, finite element methods, and systems integration principles.
- Proven track record supporting hardware development through full product lifecycle, including qualification, certification, launch, and flight operations.
- Proficiency with industry-standard analysis tools such as FEMAP/NASTRAN, ANSYS, Abaqus, or equivalent.
- Experience owning department-level budgets, resource planning, and organizational development.
- Experience working with cross-functional engineering, manufacturing, and program management organizations.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Master's degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Dynamics, or a related technical discipline.
- Experience leading Loads & Dynamics organizations responsible for multiple spacecraft, launch vehicles, or flight-critical system programs.
- Proven success delivering complex aerospace programs from concept through qualification, integration, launch, and on-orbit operations.
- Technical authority-level expertise in modal analysis, quasi-static loads, random vibration, sine vibration, shock, acoustic environments, transient dynamic response analysis, and coupled loads analysis.
- Extensive hands-on experience overseeing vibration, acoustic, shock, and modal testing campaigns in laboratory, production, and launch site environments.
- Experience developing organizational capabilities for finite element model development, correlation, and certification using test and flight data.
- Deep familiarity with coupled loads analysis (CLA), spacecraft dynamic environments, launch vehicle integration requirements, and payload certification processes.
- Expert knowledge of spacecraft launch load environments and industry standards such as SMC-S-016, GSFC-STD-7000A, MIL-STD-810, NASA-STD-5002, and NASA-STD-7001.
- Ability to communicate complex structural dynamic concepts clearly to executive leadership, customers, and multidisciplinary engineering organizations.
- Strong strategic thinking, analytical, troubleshooting, and root cause investigation skills.
- Excellent executive communication, organizational, and collaboration skills.
- Experience building and scaling engineering organizations in fast-paced development and manufacturing environments.
- Experience interfacing with NASA, DoD, FAA, or commercial spaceflight customers on technical and certification matters.
- Passion for advancing the future of human spaceflight and space habitation.
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 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.