{"id":2620876,"url":"https://alion.io/job/vastspace-controls-and-automation-engineer-ii","title":"Controls and Automation Engineer II","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":82,"open_postings":61,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.705,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":47,"computed_at":"2026-11-03T05:54:40Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"middle","employment_type":null,"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":120540,"max":171100,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":171100},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":3,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"C#","optional":true},{"name":"C++","optional":true},{"name":"EtherCAT","optional":true},{"name":"Git","optional":true},{"name":"GitLab","optional":true},{"name":"Python","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-08-14T18:37:27Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-20","last_verified_at":"2026-11-03T03:57:59Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":80,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":80},"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.\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 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.\nVast is looking for a(n) Controls & Automation Engineer II, reporting to theManager, Controls & Automation, 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: \nDevelop and maintain a data acquisition and controls stack to support a wide range of partnering test teams at the Long Beach site-creating software tools and setting standards for test assets and practices.\nDesign, implement, and own complex control systems for testing space-rated hardware, with responsibility for both hardware and software components.\nCollaborate across disciplines-including software, thermal, manufacturing, propulsion, ECLSS, and mechanical test teams-to drive robust testing practices, gather upgrade requests, and define new capabilities for the test stack.\nTroubleshoot and debug test assets to resolve issues quickly and ensure optimal test system performance.\nMinimum Qualifications:\nBachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or other engineering discipline. \n3+ years of applied experience with programmable logic controllers or similar embedded systems.\nWorking knowledge of supporting engineering skills (Wire Harnessing, electrical diagrams, signal processing).\nPreferred Skills & Experience:\n2+ years of experience with TwinCat programming and Beckhoff hardware.\n2+ years of professional experience testing, troubleshooting and debugging mechanical, electrical, and software issues. \nCoding proficiency in one or more languages (Python, C#, C++, JS, ST, etc.)\nWorking knowledge of version control (Git, GitLab) and software development.\nWorking knowledge of instrumentation selection.\nFamiliarity with the processes behind spaceflight testing (ATP/QTP).\nUnderstanding of industrial communication protocols (EtherCAT, Profinet, etc) \nUnderstanding of industrial standards (UL508A, NFPA 70, ISO 13849, etc).\nAdditional Requirements:\nWillingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones.\nAbility to lift up to 25lbs unassisted.\nPay Range: California\n$120,540—$171,100 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.\n\nU.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS\n 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.\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":5551,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":3,"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":["Manufacturing","Space & Aerospace","Aerospace Manufacturing","Satellite Manufacturing"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-15T13:23:20Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":19,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.516,"p_room":0.36,"age_days":80,"expected_fill_days":47,"reasons":["conf:1","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-03T05:54:40Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":171100,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/vastspace-controls-and-automation-engineer-ii","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/vastspace-controls-and-automation-engineer-ii.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-03T06:55:37Z","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":9660,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-04T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"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%2Fvastspace-controls-and-automation-engineer-ii"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"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%2Fvastspace-controls-and-automation-engineer-ii"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"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%2Fvastspace-controls-and-automation-engineer-ii"},{"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/vastspace-controls-and-automation-engineer-ii\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fvastspace-controls-and-automation-engineer-ii"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":2620876}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"vastspace.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":2620876},"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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