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 2026. It is part of our stepping stone approach to continuous human presence in LEO. 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 Sr. Tooling Engineer, reporting to the Sr. Manager, Integration Manufacturing, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities:

Own the design, activation, and implementation, and support fabrication, of fixtures and tooling required for Haven-1 assembly, lifting, and handling.
Work with Integration and Manufacturing to define vehicle integration flow, manufacturing process, concepts and tooling interfaces.
Collaborate with vehicle engineering and production to define fixture and tooling specifications, qualification plans, and introduce to production.
Perform mechanical analysis for spacecraft fixtures.
Develop operation and maintenance plans for all test fixtures and tooling. Assist the facilities manager(s) in all aspects of project implementation as needed
Manage schedule on assigned projects including critical next steps, deadlines, and outcome.
Manage vendor relationships and coordinate meetings to identify new technologies and how they can be applied to Vast’s cutting edge applications.
Develop, test, and implement tool improvements to yield time savings or tolerance improvements.
Coordinate tooling modifications related to part, production, or other changes.
Work closely with engineering stakeholders and technicians to solve production-related issues.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, or other engineering discipline.
Experience with GD&T.
5+ years of experience in aerospace or automotive tooling.
5+ years of experience in NX or other 3D CAD packages.
Hands-on experience with handling, lifting, or building large, complex assemblies.
Knowledge of project planning and execution practices, including logic-linked schedule management.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

Experience with work orders and assembly instructions.
Design of pneumatic, electrical, or hydraulic motion systems.
Critical lifting and break overs fixtures.
Integration tooling design.
A passion for hardware development, including working in a fast-paced environment and hands-on design and development.
Strong communication skills.

Additional Requirements:

Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted

Pay Range:

Senior Tooling Engineer: $135,000 - $170,000

Salary Range: California

$135,000—$170,000 USD

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. § 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.

Senior Tooling Engineer

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