{"id":4221851,"url":"https://alion.io/job/vast-space-propulsion-structures-engineer","title":"Propulsion Structures Engineer","company":{"id":185145,"name":"Vast Space","domain":"vastspace.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/vastspace","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":83,"open_postings":59,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.661,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":51,"computed_at":"2026-11-12T10:38:37Z"}},"role":"Aerospace","role_family":"Aerospace","seniority":"middle","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Long Beach, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":137760,"max":195552,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":195552},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":4,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Abaqus","optional":true},{"name":"ANSYS","optional":true},{"name":"Femap","optional":true},{"name":"Nastran","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-02T17:58:21Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-13","last_verified_at":"2026-11-13T05:36:19Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":71,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":71},"description":"Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental, hardware-rich, and capital-efficient approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station to support a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and supporting a growing space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to design, build, and operate its own spacecraft in orbit. Next, Haven-1 is targeted to become the world’s first commercial space station, with launch anticipated in 2027, followed by additional Haven modules. Additionally, the company recently announced two new offerings leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo: Vast Satellite, a high-power satellite product line; and Vast Lunar Systems, power, communications, and habitats for the Moon.\nHeadquartered in Long Beach, California, and with more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, Vast has built the facilities capable of manufacturing America’s next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for Mars, dedicated modules for government partners, and other crewed systems designed to unlock the expanding long-term space economy.\nVast is looking for a Propulsion Structures Engineer, reporting to the Senior Manager, Propulsion Flight Hardware, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of human-rated space stations. \nThis will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location. \nResponsibilities: \nServe as responsible engineer for propulsion mechanical hardware: tubing assemblies, brackets, mounts, and propulsion-owned secondary structure.\nAct as the primary interface between the Propulsion and Structures teams, coordinating loads, interfaces, and design requirements across both groups.\nPerform structural analysis to drive design decisions, covering static and dynamic loads, vibration, thermo-mechanical, and other environmental considerations.\nPerform mechanical design and analysis, develop manufacturing drawings, test plans, and concepts of operations, and follow hardware from design release through build and acceptance.\nLead trade studies and own interfaces with adjacent subsystems.\nWork directly with fabricators and technicians to improve designs, mature processes, and resolve build issues.\nMinimum Qualifications:\nBachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, civil engineering, physics, or math or equivalent experience.\n4+ years of experience with CAD and FEA software packages.\n4+ years of experience designing and developing mechanical components or systems.\nPreferred Skills & Experience:\nWorking knowledge of propulsion systems; time spent in or alongside a propulsion team is a strong plus.\nStructural design and analysis of components for a high-performance vehicle or spacecraft.\nDemonstrated failure analysis and root cause investigation skills.\nExperience in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.\nDesign work in recent versions of NX/Teamcenter.\nAnalysis work in recent versions of Ansys, Femap/Nastran, or Abaqus.\nExperience with GD&T implementation and analysis per ASME Y14.5.\nFamiliarity with spacecraft design and test specifications such as SMC-S-016 and NASA-STD-5001.\nAdditional Requirements:\nWillingness to work occasional evenings and weekends to support critical mission milestones.\nPay Range: \nSenior Propulsion Engineer Level III: $137,760.00 - $195,552.00\nStaff Propulsion Engineer Level IV: $162,360.00 - $230,472.00\nPrincipal Propulsion Engineer Level V: $186,960.00 - $265,392.00\nPay Range: California\n$137,760—$265,392 USD\nWe calibrate level and compensation to the selected candidate's experience and demonstrated capability. We welcome applicants across a range of experience levels to apply.\nCOMPENSATION AND BENEFITS\n\nBase 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.\nEQUAL OPPORTUNITY\nVast 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.","description_format":"text","description_chars":5470,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":4,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Life insurance","Parental leave","Retirement plans"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Aerospace Manufacturing","Satellite Manufacturing","Space Services"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-13T05:36:19Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":32,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.73,"p_room":0.44,"age_days":71,"expected_fill_days":51,"reasons":["conf:1","win:tail","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-13T06:41:42Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":195552,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/vast-space-propulsion-structures-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/vast-space-propulsion-structures-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-13T06:41:42Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":14052,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-14T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":185145},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=185145"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fvast-space-propulsion-structures-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"free","price":{"credits":0,"usd":0},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fvast-space-propulsion-structures-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fvast-space-propulsion-structures-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/vast-space-propulsion-structures-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fvast-space-propulsion-structures-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":4221851}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"vastspace.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":4221851},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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