The Senior Electrical Design Engineer will lead avionics systems development, design circuit boards, perform testing, and support operations during hardware integration and launch.
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.
Vast is looking for a Senior Electrical Design Engineer, Avionics, reporting to the Director, Avionics, 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:
- Act as responsible engineer for flight hardware, from conception through build, qualification, flight integration, and ultimately flight operations.
- Perform component selection, design analysis, schematic capture, circuit board design, prototyping, board bring up, debugging, circuit validation, and design documentation for electrical designs.
- Analyze and troubleshoot electronic assemblies, define new processes, design circuits/fixtures/tools, and identify opportunities for improvement in both products and processes.
- Support mission operations by providing real-time input during flight, completing data reviews, monitoring hardware performance, and working with partners to simplify operation of our avionics systems.
- Work with experts from other teams and departments to ensure that fielded systems perform their function while being efficient, manufacturable, and reliable.
- Define acceptance testing and qualification requirements of new and existing hardware, perform development and qualification testing to prove out design, and formally document test results.
- Travel to launch sites for testing and/or operations.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline.
- 5+ years of experience with avionics design, analysis, and/or unit level testing.
- Experience with avionics test equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, current probes.
- Experience with analog, digital, or mixed signal multi-layer PCB design.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Experience with PCBA design and Altium or similar software.
- Ability to creatively solve problems and asses risk.
- Understand electrical schematics and electronics manufacturing to analyze and improve test coverage.
- Hands-on experience with sizing, installing and troubleshooting various electronic components.
- Experience with NX or similar CAD software.
- Competence with electrical test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, network analyzers, power supplies, etc.).
- Strong sense of accountability and integrity with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere.
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 10% travel to support launch campaigns.
Pay Range:
- Senior Electrical Design Engineer: $137,760 - $195,552
- Staff Electrical Design Engineer: $162,360 - $230,472
Pay Range: California
$137,760—$230,472 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, 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.
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.
Similar Jobs
Hardware
The Sr. Electrical Design Engineer will design and develop PCBA with analog and digital circuits, conduct feasibility studies, analyze circuit performance, and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
Top Skills:
Cad ToolsLtsimOrcadPspice
Biotech
Design and develop electronics for analytical instrumentation, focusing on low-noise signal measurement and high-voltage systems, collaborating with cross-functional teams.
Top Skills:
C/C++Hardware DebuggingPcb DesignPythonSchematic Capture
Information Technology • Software • Consulting
Design and develop electrical circuits, focusing on fire control computers using microcontrollers, CPLD, and FPGA. Requires advanced design skills.
Top Skills:
CpldFpgaSchematic Capture Programs
What you need to know about the San Francisco Tech Scene
San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area attracts more startup funding than any other region in the world. Home to Stanford University and UC Berkeley, leading VC firms and several of the world’s most valuable companies, the Bay Area is the place to go for anyone looking to make it big in the tech industry. That said, San Francisco has a lot to offer beyond technology thanks to a thriving art and music scene, excellent food and a short drive to several of the country’s most beautiful recreational areas.
Key Facts About San Francisco Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 365,500; 13.9% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Google, Apple, Salesforce, Meta
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, fintech, consumer technology, software
- Funding Landscape: $50.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Greylock Partners, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins
- Research Centers and Universities: Stanford University; University of California, Berkeley; University of San Francisco; Santa Clara University; Ames Research Center; Center for AI Safety; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
