Dynamics Engineer

<div class="content-intro"><p>At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations 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. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. 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, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. 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.</p></div><p>Vast is looking for a <strong>Dynamics Engineer</strong>, reporting to the<strong> Senior Manager of Loads and Dynamics, </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</strong>-<strong>time</strong>, <strong>exempt</strong> position located in our <strong>Long Beach </strong>location. </p>
<p>The Structural Dynamics team is responsible for low and high-frequency load & environment predictions for all Vast space stations during ground transportation, ascent, and on-orbit operations. This role will be responsible for generating frequency-based design and test requirements in quasi-statics, random vibrations, shock, and acoustics. Candidates should have strong skills in frequency domain analysis, test planning, and high-speed data processing.</p>
<p><strong>Responsibilities: </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Derive internal load and environment requirements from system level requirements. </li>
<li>Assist product groups with vibration and shock requirement tailoring and test verification. </li>
<li>Assess vendor hardware capabilities against in-house predictions.</li>
<li>Develop post-processing tools for dynamic analyses and tests.</li>
<li>Build, maintain, and correlate prediction models based on gathered test data.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Minimum Qualifications:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Bachelor degree in Mechanical or Aerospace engineering.</li>
<li>1+ years of professional experience in loads and environment prediction.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Preferred Skills & Experience:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Spacecraft and/or payload background with experience through the entire system lifecycle from concept, design, production, integration, test, launch, and operations.</li>
<li>Hands-on test experience in vibration labs.</li>
<li>Familiar with Femap/NASTRAN.</li>
<li>Ability to explain structural dynamic concepts to other engineering functions.</li>
<li>Working understanding of a design load cycle and how it relates to analysis and test. </li>
<li>Knowledge of spacecraft launch load environments and industry standard documents (SMC-S-016, GSFC-STD-7000A, MIL-STD-810G, etc.).</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Additional Requirements:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Ability to travel occasionally for out-of-house testing.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pay Range:</strong> </p>
<ul>
<li>Dynamics Engineer I: $86,100 - $122,220</li>
<li>Dynamics Engineer II: $112,340 - $159,468</li>
<li>Senior Dynamics Engineer: $137,760 - $195,552</li>
<li>Staff Dynamics Engineer: $162,360 - $230,472</li>
</ul><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="title">Pay Range: California</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$86,100</span><span class="divider">—</span><span>$230,472 USD</span></div></div></div><div class="content-conclusion"><p style="line-height: 1;"><strong>COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS<br></strong><br>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: 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.</p>
<p style="line-height: 1;"><strong><br>U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS<br><br></strong>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 <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/section-120.62">22 C.F.R. § 120.62</a> 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.<br><br></p>
<p style="line-height: 1;"><strong>EQUAL OPPORTUNITY</strong><br><br>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.</p></div>