Hardware Development Engineer

Vast is looking for a Mechanical Engineer, reporting to the Manager, Structures Design, to to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

This role blends mechanical and systems engineering with human-factors-driven product development to shape the environments where astronauts will live and work aboard our stations.

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

Responsibilities: 

• Support end-to-end design, development, and integration of in-flight equipment—from concept and requirements through analysis, selection, qualification, manufacturing readiness, and flight verification.
• Support packaging layouts for cargo equipment - help optimize equipment placement to meet volume, mass, accessibility, and center-of-gravity constraints.
• Contribute to requirements definition, participate in trade studies, and support decision-making with clear engineering rationale.
• Support qualification and acceptance testing for in-flight equipment. Help design test fixtures, and participate in testing activities (off-gassing, flammability, mechanical loads, EMI/EMC, environmental exposure).
• Create detailed CAD models, engineering drawings, analysis reports, test plans, and concepts of operations; support hardware through manufacturing/procurement, test, integration, and verification.
• Participate in human-in-the-loop evaluations, mockups, packing studies and fit checks.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with teams (Flight Surgeons, Food Scientists, Thermal, ECLSS, Avionics).
• Help ensure hardware, packaging, and stowage solutions meet mission requirements, human factors and safety standards.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 2+ years of mechanical design and analysis experience, including development of mechanical components, systems, or safety-critical equipment.
• 2+ years of experience with CAD and FEA tools.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience with spaceflight hardware or safety equipment in regulated or high-reliability domains.
• Hands-on experience supporting environmental testing (structural, random vibration, thermal, EMI/EMC).
• Exposure to aerospace, medical, or high-reliability packaging systems.
• Familiarity with flexible packaging, barrier materials, or food-grade polymers.
• Ability to participate in trade studies using first-principles reasoning.
• Experience collaborating on an engineering or project team.
• Ability to use data and analysis to support decision-making.
• Experience supporting hardware from concept through design, build, integration, and verification.
• Strong communication skills; ability to work effectively across teams (avionics, materials, human factors, structural, safety, procurement).
• Comfort working in ambiguity; ability to move fast, take initiative, and deliver under tight schedule constraints.
• Strong organizational skills with good documentation practices, attention to detail, and the ability to track information accurately across projects.

Pay Ranges: 

• Mechanical Engineer I : $84,200 - $108,780
• Mechanical Engineer II : $110,000 - $142,000