Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Propulsion

Vast is looking for a Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Propulsion, reporting to the Manager, Structures & Fluids Manufacturing, to lead the team responsible for the development, production, and integration of propulsion and pressurization hardware for artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the propulsion manufacturing engineering team day to day: set priorities, assign ownership, run team rhythms, and mentor engineers
• Participate in hiring and onboarding new engineers to the team
• Own manufacturing development, production readiness, and build execution for propulsion and pressurization hardware, including valves, regulators, tubing, ducting, manifolds, COPVs, fittings, and instrumentation, while staying hands-on with your own hardware
• Own the propulsion manufacturing schedule and build sequencing across development, qualification, and flight builds
• Report hardware status, risks, and mitigation plans to program leadership
• Partner with propulsion and systems design teams to drive design for manufacturing and manufacturing readiness
• Develop, qualify, and optimize manufacturing processes and production equipment, including welding, brazing, tube fabrication, precision cleaning, and proof and leak testing
• Work directly with suppliers on manufacturing readiness, including review and approval of supplier processes and documentation
• Partner with quality engineering to define inspection methods, acceptance criteria, and process controls for safety-critical fluid components
• Set a strong safety and quality culture for high-pressure and hazardous fluid hardware

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering, or a related discipline
• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in aerospace, propulsion, or high-reliability fluid systems
• 3+ years of hands-on hardware experience supporting fabrication, assembly, integration, and/or testing of fluid system hardware
• Experience developing manufacturing processes, travelers, work instructions, and production documentation for safety-critical fluid hardware
• Experience with CAD tools (e.g., Siemens NX) and the ability to review designs, generate manufacturing documentation, and design assembly or test tooling
• Experience mentoring engineers or leading a workstream, build, or small team (formal people management experience not required)
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends as needed to support critical propulsion testing and mission milestones

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Master’s degree in an engineering discipline
• Experience as a technical lead, project lead, or informal team lead on hardware programs
• Experience participating in hiring and interviewing engineers
• Strong interest in developing into a people manager
• Experience with manufacturing and assembly of high-pressure or hazardous fluid systems, including propellant feed, pressurization, venting, and purge systems
• Strong understanding of propulsion fluid system manufacturing, including tube fabrication, welding, brazing, precision cleaning, and assembly processes
• Hands-on experience testing, troubleshooting, and qualifying propulsion or fluid components, including proof, leak, and functional testing
• Experience integrating COPVs, valves, regulators, and instrumentation into flight systems
• Experience developing and qualifying production equipment, assembly tooling, and test tooling
• Strong GD&T knowledge and experience creating and reviewing engineering drawings
• Experience with Siemens NX
• Experience reviewing and approving supplier manufacturing processes and documentation
• Proven problem-solving skills with hands-on root cause analysis and corrective and preventive action experience
• Strong cross-functional communication skills and the ability to work effectively with propulsion, systems, test, and quality teams
• High attention to detail and a strong ownership mindset for safety-critical hardware