Mechanical Engineer II, Thermal Control Systems

<div class="content-intro"><div style="font-family: 'Instrument Sans', 'Segoe UI', Trebuchet MS, Tahoma, sans-serif;"> <p style="line-height: 1.4;">Vast is developing next-generation <strong>space stations and space infrastructure</strong> 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 <strong>Vast Satellite</strong>, a high-power satellite product line leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo.</p> <p style="line-height: 1.4;">Headquartered in<strong> Long Beach, California</strong>, 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.</p> </div></div><p> </p> <p>Vast is looking for a <strong>Thermal Control Systems Mechanical Engineer</strong>, reporting to the<strong> Manager, Thermal Control Hardware </strong>to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations. </p> <p>This will be a <strong>full-time</strong>, <strong>exempt </strong>position located in our <strong>Long Beach, CA</strong> location. </p> <p><strong>Responsibilities: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Own the design and development of thermal control system and components for our artificial-gravity space station, from initial design trades to fully functional and validated system</li> <li>Possible thermal components include heat exchangers, cold plates, heaters, heat pipes, etc…</li> <li>Iterate on manufacturing processes and development testing in a fast-paced environment</li> <li>Own the project delivery timeline from early design through production, launch, and orbit insertion</li> <li>Perform systems engineering tasks and fluid analyses</li> <li>Lead design reviews internally and externally with suppliers and customers</li> <li>Work with interdisciplinary stakeholders to ensure the component will integrate with the necessary avionics, software, and mission operations systems</li> <li>Make sure that all designs are manufacturable and reliable</li> <li>Bring technical excellence to everything you do</li> </ul> <p><strong>Minimum Qualifications:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or other engineering discipline</li> <li>Experience working with fluid systems or components</li> <li>5+ years of hands-on hardware experience performing fabrication, assembly and/or testing</li> </ul> <p><strong>Preferred Skills & Experience:</strong></p> <ul> <li>4+ years of experience working with fluid systems or components</li> <li>Demonstrated ability to own hardware or systems within an integrated engineering team outside a classroom setting</li> <li>4+ years of hands-on hardware experience performing fabrication, assembly and/or testing</li> <li>Proactive problem-solving skills such as failure analysis, root cause investigation, and design of experiment creation</li> <li>Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals to make clear recommendations even with partial information</li> <li>Experience with rotating machinery</li> <li>Experienced in NX</li> <li>Solid understanding and application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-up analysis</li> <li>Experience with structural analysis methods (hand calcs, FEMAP, ANSYS) in order to optimize hardware to strength requirements as well as to evaluate for life and fracture</li> <li>Knowledge of metallic and fluid system manufacturing techniques, processes, equipment, and other processes such as machining, welding, brazing, tube bending, etc.</li> <li>Able to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, other engineers, and managers</li> <li>Highly self-motivated with strong organizational and written/oral communication skills – able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment with the ongoing drive for continuous improvement in all aspects of work</li> </ul> <p> </p><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="title">Pay Range: California</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$112,340</span><span class="divider">—</span><span>$159,468 USD</span></div></div></div><div class="content-conclusion"><div style="font-family: 'Instrument Sans', 'Segoe UI', Trebuchet MS, Tahoma, sans-serif;"> <p style="line-height: 1; font-size: 14px;"><em>We calibrate