Design Reliability Engineer Verified today
About the role
Vast is looking for a Design Reliability Engineer to support development of systems for artificial-gravity human-rated space stations. You will report to the Director of Design Reliability.
Responsibilities
- Technical Leadership: Lead technical reviews during milestone design reviews and major risk gates. Oversee qualification and test completeness for flight systems. Identify risks early in test campaigns and help teams converge on safe, resilient solutions. Evaluate complex design and operational changes to safeguard technical integrity.
- Design Excellence: Serve as architect and guardian of Vast's engineering standards, design guides, and review frameworks. Make engineering best practices accessible to teams moving under ambitious timelines. Support engineering teams across the organization by bringing experience in design, build cycles, integration, and test. Capture lessons learned and strengthen future standards.
- Process Ownership: Build and steward processes that ensure engineering rigor at scale. Own and refine design review templates, reliability checklists, and internal design guides. Track design maturity and compliance across station and vehicle architecture. Build tools, frameworks, and automation that help engineers explore design trade-offs and risks.
- Cross-Functional Influence: Work across the engineering organization to improve reliability. Partner with configuration and change management to ensure all flight hardware updates are intentional, reviewed, and fully understood. Partner with software teams to ensure system data and design decisions are well organized and accessible.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field.
- 7+ years of experience in responsible engineering, design ownership, systems integration, test engineering, or reliability-focused development.
- Demonstrated experience conducting design reviews, qualification reviews, or major change assessments.
- Strong communicator and collaborative leader with high emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and ability to influence at all levels.
- Resilient, curious, and committed to continuous learning in fast-paced or high-pressure environments.
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Experience in Responsible Engineering, Systems Engineering, Office of the Chief Engineer, or Reliability Engineering roles on complex aerospace systems.
- Hands-on experience designing, assembling, integrating, or testing hardware.
- Background with spacecraft, aircraft, launch vehicles, or other mission or safety-critical systems.
- Familiarity with fracture control, reliability methodologies, or human-rated hardware standards.
- Experience creating engineering standards, review templates, or technical guidance frameworks.
- Strong scripting and data analysis skills (Python, MATLAB, Excel) and familiarity with visualization tools (e.g., Tableau).
- Knowledge of manufacturing processes, materials selection, and hardware qualification pathways.
- Strong systems-level intuition and ability to anticipate and articulate risks early.
Additional Information
This is a full-time, exempt position located in Long Beach, California. You must be willing to work overtime or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
Compensation
Base salary: $137,000 to $195,000 USD depending on experience and qualifications. Full-time employees receive company equity and benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage; 20+ days vacation for exempt staff; paid parental leave; short and long-term disability; life insurance; 401(k) retirement plan; ClassPass credits; mental healthcare through Spring Health; free snacks, coffee, drinks, and dinner; subsidized lunch.
Export Control
The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls and must either be a U.S. person as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, and asylees and refugees with status granted (not pending).