Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Soft Goods

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 Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Soft Goods, reporting to the VP of Manufacturing, 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. 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Own the development and implementation of new product manufacturing processes for various soft goods (cargo bags, closeouts, protective blankets, etc.).
• Work closely with our Product Design and Supply Chain teams to ensure the highest level of quality for Vast's soft goods products.
• Responsible for meeting production targets (rate, delivery date, etc.).
• Work with interdisciplinary stakeholders such as Human Systems, Industrial Design, and Internal Medicine to ensure all materials and processes support a safe crewed mission.
• Lead manufacturing reviews internally and externally with suppliers and customers.
• Ensure that all designs and systems are manufacturable and reliable.
• Coordinate with QA to lead root cause analysis (RCA) and issue resolution on soft goods manufacturing quality issues.
• Create and manage all operating procedures and control plans for the soft goods manufacturing team.
• Provide process design improvement ideas and collaborate with engineering resources to implement them while ensuring solutions achieve required quality levels, reliability, and consistency.
• Create/modify layouts, drawings, and designs supporting manufacturing operations.
• Incorporate engineering specifications into processes and manufacturing techniques.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial or Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• 2+ years of experience working in a soft goods manufacturing environment, preferably for space applications.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Able to work well in an integrated, collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, other engineers, and managers.
• Highly self-motivated with strong organizational and written/oral communication skills; able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment with a drive for continuous improvement in all aspects of work.
• Strong organizational, project management, and communication skills.
• Ability to plan and execute R&D projects.
• Apply subject matter expertise to cutting-edge technical needs, iterate efficiently, and clearly articulate issues.
• Experience interpreting engineering drawings and models; GD&T, etc.
• Knowledge of Lean and/or Six Sigma concepts.
• Experience with best-in-class soft goods manufacturing techniques.
• Proficiency and experience using NX and Teamcenter.
• Prior experience in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
• Willingness and desire to exemplify extreme ownership of flight-critical spacecraft systems.
• Proactive problem-solving skills such as failure analysis, root cause investigation, and DOE creation.
• Experience working with the design, analysis, and build of soft goods components.
• Strong ability to use data and analysis to make fast, data-driven decisions.

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted

Pay Range

• Manufacturing Engineer I: $85,000 - $105,000
• Manufacturing Engineer II: $100,000 - $132,000
• Senior Manufacturing Engineer: $120,000 - $160,000

Salary Range: California$85,000—$160,000 USDCOMPENSATION 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, dent