Manager, Fluid Systems Design Organization

• Lead design team translating architecture choices for propulsion, TCS and ECLSS systems into vehicle packaging for future Haven modules.
• Own component-level design practices for propulsion, TCS and ECLSS.
• Develop process tools to streamline design activities, enabling component responsible engineers to be force multipliers for the design team.
• Lead team of designers across the fluid systems engineering team, flexing resources as needed, and building cross-system experience in the team.
• Interface with structures design team on overall vehicle integration, establishing and enforcing standard design and modeling practices.
• Collaborate with the fluid system analysis team on structural, fracture, and dynamics requirements for design validation.
• Partner with the fluid system test team to design ground support equipment and test stands needed for development, qualification and acceptance testing.
• Build and mentor a team of design engineers, establishing clear ownership and accountability for world-class design work.
• Drive communication and collaboration between fluid systems design, structures, and operations, resolving manufacturing and integration challenges.
• Support risk management, CDR/dCDR action item tracking, and lessons-learned capture from prior missions.
• Partner with information systems team on design tool development and deployment.
• Manage technical interfaces with external partners and government agencies on propulsion system requirements and supplier qualification.
• Coordinate with external research partners on advanced system development and evaluations.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or other technical discipline.
• 2+ years of hands-on engineering experience followed by 2-5 years of experience in systems engineering, technical project management, or customer facing program roles in aerospace.
• 8+ yearsof experience in system design, with demonstrated component-level design authority on flight hardware, preferably with propulsion, thermal or ECLSS systems.
• 2+ years of experience overseeing / managing a technical engineering team.
• Expertise in fluid system design including pressure vessels, tubing routings, mechanical fluid seals, control valves, fans, filters and/or ducting systems.
• Experience with high-pressure fluid systems including fracture criticality.
• Familiarity with P&IDs, feed system ConOps, and fill and drain considerations for vehicle integration.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multi-disciplinary engineering teams and drive technical decisions to closure.
• Experience supporting design reviews (CDR, PDR) and managing associated action items and risk tracking.
• Strong cross-functional communication skills comfortable working across structures, GNC, avionics, software, and manufacturing.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience building in-house design team capability.
• Background in mission operations, covering propulsion, thermal or ECLSS systems.
• Prior work with component and HITL test environments.
• Startup or fast-paced development environment experience.
• Familiarity with electric propulsion system interfaces (PPU, mass flow control).
• Experience with tubing assembly and design for manufacturing / design for assembly.
• Background in fracture mechanics or composite overwrap pressure vessel certification., Acceptance Testing, Aerospace and Defense, Avionics, Communication Skills, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), Cross-Functional, Customer Relations, Design for Assembly (DFA), Engineering, Fluid Systems Engineering, Fracture Mechanics, Government, Healthcare, Information Technology & Information Systems, Insurance, Leadership, Manufacturing, Manufacturing Design, Mentoring, Pressure Vessels, Process Development, Product Demonstration, Project/Program Management, Propulsion, Requirements Validation/Verification, Residential Construction, Risk, Risk Management, Space Operations, Startup, System Test, Systems Administration/Management, Systems Analysis, Systems Engineering, Team Lead/Manager, Technical Leadership, Technical/Engineering Design, Testing, Time Management

$164,000 - $232,800USD

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITSBase 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.

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.