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 May 2026. 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.
Director of Civil Programs
Vast is looking for a Director of Civil Programs, reporting to the SVP of Product and Business Development. As a Director of Civil Programs, you develop to serve the needs of NASA and other customers in the post-International Space Station era using Vast space stations. You will work closely with engineering, operations, safety, manufacturing, and business development teams to prepare Vast to successfully bid on NASA’s CLD certification and services contract. The role requires personal drive to identify opportunities, develop the necessary relationships, and ultimately execute contracts that will define the trajectory of Vast.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located on-site at our Long Beach, CA location.
Responsibilities:
- Manage customer contract execution, from initial customer contact through completion of the mission.
- Manage the company’s development of its Commercial LEO Destination to bid on NASA’s CLD phase-2 competition
- Manage development of CLD system requirements and their allocation across system elements
- Collaborate with the Communications & Marketing team in creating marketing materials and strategic communications.
- Remain up-to-date on the latest Commercial LEO Destinations competitive landscape and market, determine pricing, and formulate strategic direction.
- Develop and manage large U.S. Government proposal planning, preparation, and submission.
- Ensure Vast products are meeting or exceeding U.S. Government proposal and program requirements and establish and guide program disciplines that meet those goals
- Represent Vast at public events such as industry conferences and speaking engagements.
- Develop and manage budget for projects and be accountable for delivering against established cost and schedule goals/objectives
- Work with other program managers to identify synergies and opportunities
- Analyze, evaluate, and overcome program risks
- Produce program reports for company leadership
- Support customer program deliverables such as status updates and milestone reviews. Responsible for crafting and presenting both programmatic and technical material.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or science discipline.
- 10+ years of experience in a program management role in the aerospace, space or hard tech industry.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Master’s degree in an engineering discipline.
- Experience in crafting presentations which includes building out compelling storylines, presenting data to audiences, and pushing the key messages.
- Strong ability to prioritize and successfully drive a project from beginning to end and to work across multiple projects simultaneously.
- Ability to thrive in a startup environment with the ingenuity to define and implement efficient processes for effective work execution in a matrixed cross-functional environment.
- Self-motivated and creative solutions-focused mentality.
- Passion for the space industry and changing “business-as-usual” paradigms.
- Ability to discuss technical systems and practical applications to a variety of audiences.
- Ability to draft and manage matrixed team contributing to large U.S. Government proposals (RFPs)
- Ability to make independent judgments with limited information
- Logical and strategic approach to solving problems
- Comfortable working in a high-stress environment balancing several projects at any given time, and the flexibility to adjust for abrupt changes in strategic direction.
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 25% of the time
Salary Range: California
$164,000—$200,000 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.
Top Skills
Vast Long Beach, California, USA Office
2851 Orange Ave, Long Beach, CA, United States, 90755
Similar Jobs
What you need to know about the Los Angeles Tech Scene
Key Facts About Los Angeles Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 375,800; 5.5% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Snap, Netflix, SpaceX, Disney, Google
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, adtech, media, software, game development
- Funding Landscape: $11.6 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Strong Ventures, Fifth Wall, Upfront Ventures, Mucker Capital, Kittyhawk Ventures
- Research Centers and Universities: California Institute of Technology, UCLA, University of Southern California, UC Irvine, Pepperdine, California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Quantum Science and Engineering
