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 an experienced and highly motivated Senior Manager, Dynamics, reporting to the Senior Director of Structures & Dynamics, to lead the development, analysis, and verification of dynamic systems supporting next-generation human-rated space stations and spacecraft. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise in spacecraft or launch vehicle dynamics, strong leadership capabilities, and experience guiding engineering teams through the full hardware development lifecycle in fast-paced aerospace environments.
This will be a full-time, non-exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
- Lead and develop a multidisciplinary Dynamics engineering team responsible for low- and high-frequency loads and environment predictions for spacecraft systems and hardware during transportation, ascent, docking, and on-orbit operations.
- Drive execution across the full product lifecycle, including concept development, requirements definition, analysis, testing, verification, qualification, and flight support activities.
- Develop and maintain system-level dynamic models, load cases, and environments to support spacecraft design, integration, and operations.
- Derive internal loads and environmental requirements from system-level requirements, including quasi-static, random vibration, shock, and acoustic environments.
- Support product teams with vibration and shock requirement tailoring, test planning, and qualification verification activities.
- Build, maintain, correlate, and improve finite element and dynamic prediction models using gathered test data and flight-representative environments.
- Develop post-processing tools and methodologies for dynamic analyses, test data reduction, and high-speed data processing.
- Assess vendor and supplier hardware capabilities against internally generated dynamic predictions and qualification requirements.
- Partner closely with Structures, Propulsion, Thermal, Avionics, GNC, Manufacturing, Test, and Systems Engineering teams to ensure integrated vehicle performance and successful hardware delivery.
- Lead technical reviews, design trades, failure investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action efforts related to dynamic environments and structural performance.
- Support and oversee spacecraft qualification activities, including vibration, modal, acoustic, and shock testing campaigns.
- Establish team priorities, staffing plans, technical roadmaps, and resource strategies aligned with company objectives and program milestones.
- Provide technical leadership and risk management support to ensure system performance, reliability, safety, and compliance with aerospace standards and verification requirements.
- Mentor and develop engineers across varying levels, fostering a culture of accountability, technical rigor, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Drive process improvements that enhance modeling accuracy, analysis efficiency, product quality, and program execution performance.
- Coordinate with external suppliers, contractors, and test facilities to support development and qualification activities.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- 8+ years of engineering experience in aerospace or other safety-critical industries.
- 2+ years of technical leadership or engineering management experience.
- Experience performing loads and environments prediction, structural dynamics, vibration, acoustic, shock, or coupled systems analyses for aerospace hardware or vehicle systems.
- Strong understanding of structural dynamics fundamentals, finite element methods, and systems integration principles.
- Experience supporting hardware development through multiple phases of the product lifecycle, including qualification and testing.
- Proficiency with industry-standard analysis tools such as FEMAP/NASTRAN, ANSYS, Abaqus, or equivalent.
- Experience working in cross-functional engineering and manufacturing environments.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Experience leading Dynamics or Loads teams responsible for spacecraft, launch vehicles, or other flight-critical systems.
- Proven success supporting complex aerospace programs from concept through qualification, integration, launch, and operations.
- Expertise in modal analysis, quasi-static loads, random vibration, sine vibration, shock, acoustic environments, and transient dynamic response analysis.
- Hands-on experience supporting vibration, acoustic, shock, or modal testing campaigns in laboratory or production environments.
- Experience developing and correlating finite element models using test and flight data.
- Familiarity with coupled loads analysis (CLA), spacecraft dynamic environments, and launch vehicle integration requirements.
- Working knowledge of spacecraft launch load environments and industry standards such as SMC-S-016, GSFC-STD-7000A, and MIL-STD-810.
- Ability to communicate structural dynamic concepts clearly across multidisciplinary engineering organizations.
- Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and root cause investigation skills.
- Excellent communication, organizational, and collaboration skills.
- Experience working in fast-paced development and manufacturing environments.
- 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.