The Materials and Processes Engineer will support material selection and process development for avionics materials in artificial-gravity space stations, conduct research, and write specifications.
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.
Vast is looking for a(n) Materials and Processes Engineer reporting to the Senior Materials and Processes Engineer, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our (Long Beach) location.
Responsibilities:
- Support the materials selection, manufacturing process development, and supplier development for avionics materials used on an artificial-gravity space station.
- Develop and qualify new materials and processes in the areas of soldering, conformal coating, potting, wire bonding, etc.
- Conduct research on avionics materials and perform testing for mechanical, thermal, and environmental reliability of electronic systems and components.
- Perform root cause and corrective action analyses to solve problems encountered with internal or vendor manufacturing processes.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including materials, thermal, and systems engineers, to integrate findings into broader design and testing efforts.
- Write material and process specifications for manufacturing of avionics and nonmetallic materials.
- Generate and execute test plans and review materials to ensure compliance to standards.
- Experience utilizing analytical techniques such as TGA, DSC, FTIR, SIFT-MS, etc. for material characterization.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science degree in materials science, materials engineering, chemistry, or related technical discipline.
- 2+ years of professional, industry, or academic experience in materials engineering.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Materials of Science degree in materials engineering or related discipline.
- Demonstrable knowledge in parts, materials and process selection, manufacturing support, and qualification of electronic materials for air or space hardware.
- The ideal candidate should have experience in at least one of the following areas and have some knowledge of the others:
- Printed circuit boards and electronic components
- Surface mount technology (solders and reflow, conformal coatings)
- Harnessing
- RF Systems
- Batteries
- Electrical and RF properties of materials
- Knowledge of IPC-J-STD-001 Class 3, NASA-STD-8739 series, IPC-STD-2222 Class 3, IPC-STD-6012 Class 3, or industry equivalent.
- Strong academic foundation coupled with hands-on experience.
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 10% of the time.
- Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
- Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted.
Pay Range:
- Materials and Processes Engineer: $100,000 - $132,000
- Materials and Process Engineer II: $110,000 - $142,000
Salary Range: California
$100,000—$142,000 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
Conformal Coating
Dsc
Ftir
Potting
Sift-Ms
Soldering
Tga
Wire Bonding
Vast Long Beach, California, USA Office
2851 Orange Ave, Long Beach, CA, United States, 90755
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