{"id":2620969,"url":"https://alion.io/job/vastspace-senior-propulsion-engineer","title":"Senior Propulsion Engineer","company":{"id":185145,"name":"Vastspace","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":null},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Hawthorne, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":130000,"max":190000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":190000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"MATLAB","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-03-05T20:25:41Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-14","last_verified_at":"2026-10-16T00:24:36Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":224,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":224},"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 inLong 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 aSenior Propulsion Engineer, reporting to theSenior Manager of E-2 Engineering, to create the world's highest performing engine for small launchers, while optimizing for production and low cost. In this role, you will join a team with exciting momentum that has produced and successfully tested fully integrated engine development samples. You will be a key member who will help complete the flight engine design and transition the system from development to production.\nThis will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Hawthorne location. \nResponsibilities\nDesign: work with our team and Chief Engineer to advance the design of E-2. Create models and drawings of parts and assemblies. Perform calculations and analyses with team support.\nManufacturing: work with our internal manufacturing team to create finished E-2 parts. Support parts through 3d-printing, machining, post processing, and inspection. Incorporate feedback to improve design for manufacturing.\nAssembly and test: support our integration team with propulsion component assembly build and testing\nCreate schematics and document processes\nParticipate in engine testing with our test team and support with troubleshooting as needed\nCommunicate effectively with entire team to regularly provide updates on progress and issues\nAlways follow proper safety procedures and wear personal protective equipment in the workplace\nMinimum Qualifications:\nBachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline\n5+ years of experience with mechanical design, development, fabrication, assembly, or test (internships included)\nPreferred Skills and Experience:\nAbility to work as a teammate and independently to achieve ambitious goals\nHands-on engineering (Full-stack: computer to wrench to broom)\nCommunication (Written, visual, slides)\nCAD (NX preferred)\nGeometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)\nProblem-solving\nCapable to grow positive, respectful, and professional relationships\nWilling to make mistakes, take responsibilities, work independently and be transparent about your work\nANSYS\nMATLAB\nAdditional Requirements:\nAble to lift 25 lbs unassisted\nWork in an outdoor environment exposed to extreme weather conditions\nWillingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones\nPay Range: California\n$130,000—$190,000 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":5685,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"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":["Space & Aerospace"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-15T13:23:20Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":8,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.291,"p_room":0.28,"age_days":224,"expected_fill_days":38,"reasons":["conf:1","win:tail","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-16T02:09:19Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":190000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/vastspace-senior-propulsion-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/vastspace-senior-propulsion-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-16T02:09:19Z","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":3398,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-17T00:00:00Z"}},"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-senior-propulsion-engineer"},{"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-senior-propulsion-engineer"},{"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-senior-propulsion-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/vastspace-senior-propulsion-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fvastspace-senior-propulsion-engineer"}]}