Full-Time

Fluid Test Engineer

VAST

VAST

501-1,000 employees

Develops artificial gravity space stations

Compensation Overview

$112.3k - $230.5k/yr

+ Equity

Long Beach, CA, USA

In Person

Willing to travel up to 20% for vehicle tests, including extended trips up to 1 month.

Category
QA & Testing (1)
Requirements
  • Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, aerospace, electrical, or similar field
  • 4+ years of related engineering experience
  • Hands on hardware integration and testing experience
  • Experience with working with technicians and running multi person operations
  • Experience writing test plans, procedures, presentations, and providing go/no-go judgment and rationale
  • Travel for vehicle test support (20%) including extended travel (up to 1 month)
  • Ability to work varying hours, shifts, extended hours, and weekends as needed
  • Ability to stoop, bend, crawl, and maneuver in tight spaces; physically able to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted
  • Ability to perform in a fast-paced, rapidly changing work environment
Responsibilities
  • Own design, build, and commissioning of fluid system GSE and test stands
  • Develop clear and robust test plans for on-vehicle checkouts, fluids, instrumentation, and high-pressure testing
  • Act as test director, providing status updates and leading handoff meetings
  • Conduct PDRs, CDRs, and TRRs before design and test execution
  • Produce professional documentation including mechanical, fluid, and instrumentation schematics
  • Document non-conformances and collaborate with quality team on root cause corrective actions
  • Adhere to, enforce, and improve test processes and best practices
  • Collaborate with distributed engineering organizations to define test plans, requirements, and schedules
  • Partner with engineers, SMEs, and technicians to solve complex fluid system problems
  • Mentor engineers and technicians on the team
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with pressure testing, fluid system design, proof and leak checks in compliance with ASME B31.3
  • Experience planning and executing engineering operations in time-sensitive, high-risk environments
  • Knowledge of pressure safety standards (DoO, ASME, API, NFPA) for quantity distance and keep-out zones
  • Experience with high-pressure gas systems and closed-loop control systems
  • Ability to design and perform environmental testing per SMC-S-016, GEVS NASA-STD-7000a, MIL STD 810G
  • Experience designing and implementing instrumentation systems and precision measurement devices
  • Experience with DAQ hardware and software (NI PXI, cRIO, cDAQ, Dewesoft, Beckhoff)
  • Ability to generate test system P&IDs using Visio, Lucidchart, or equivalent
  • Experience writing and executing test plans/procedures in collaboration with design engineers
  • Perform structured root cause analysis of test failures
  • Experience in structural design and analysis of test fixtures
  • Proficiency with CAD systems (NX preferred)
  • Experience with PLM systems (Teamcenter preferred) and version control (SVN, GIT)
  • Experience with project scheduling tools (Smartsheet, MS Project, or equivalent)
  • Experience with JIRA and/or Confluence
  • Ability to quickly troubleshoot new and existing systems
  • Ability to rapidly shift priorities across multiple projects and deliver high-value results iteratively
  • Strong collaboration skills across cross-functional engineering teams

Vast Space builds artificial gravity space stations to enable long-term human life in space. Its approach uses large rotating habitats that generate centrifugal force to mimic Earth's gravity, helping astronauts stay healthy during extended missions. The company designs, tests, demonstrates, services, and manufactures space infrastructure and customizable habitat modules for government space agencies, private aerospace companies, and research institutions that operate in lunar, Martian, or deep-space missions. Unlike others, Vast Space focuses on end-to-end artificial gravity solutions and ongoing support, not just concepts, and targets contracts that provide sustainable space habitats for science, exploration, and colonization efforts. The overall goal is to expand humanity’s reach across the solar system by creating scalable, gravity-enabled habitats that enable safe, long-term presence in space while protecting Earth's ecosystem.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

Debt Financing

Total Funding

$500M

Headquarters

Long Beach, California

Founded

2021

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • QIA-led $500M funding in March 2026 scales Haven-2 development.
  • Haven Demo succeeded November 2025, validating key subsystems.
  • In-Q-Tel investment signals national security demand for Vast stations.

What critics are saying

  • Falcon 9 capacity constraints delay Haven-1 beyond Q1 2027.
  • Axiom Station captures NASA CLD contract before Haven-2 operationalizes.
  • McCaleb withdraws funding if Ripple faces SEC action by 2027.

What makes VAST unique

  • Haven-1 launches Q1 2027 as first commercial space station on Falcon 9.
  • Haven-1 Lab offers 10 slots for 30kg microgravity research payloads.
  • Roadmap progresses to Haven-2 in 2028 and artificial gravity Haven-3.
  • Six control moment gyroscopes enable precise Haven-1 attitude control.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Paid Vacation

Parental Leave

401(k) Retirement Plan

Company Equity

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

1%

1 year growth

3%

2 year growth

8%
SpaceWatch.Global GmbH
Mar 9th, 2026
Vast secures $500M in funding to accelerate production of Haven space stations.

Vast secures $500M in funding to accelerate production of Haven space stations. Vast has raised $500 million in new funding, comprising $300 million in Series A equity and $200 million in debt,... Vast has raised $500 million in new funding, comprising $300 million in Series A equity and $200 million in debt, to advance its mission of enabling humanity to live and work in space long-term, and support the continued development of Vast's Haven space stations. The company will leverage the funding to expand facilities, grow its team, and advance its proposed successor to the ISS, Haven-2, ensuring continuous human presence in LEO. Membership Required. You must be a member to access this content. Joshua Faleti. Kofoworola Joshua Faleti is the News Editor. He enjoys talking and learning about space and wants to talk about space to anyone who cares to listen. Joshua is interested in Space Law and Policy and how Space can positively impact human lives. Joshua is also a big music lover. March 13, 2026 March 9, 2026 March 2, 2026 February 27, 2026 March 8, 2026 March 9, 2026 Free of charge, finished in just 20 seconds! * Required

Vast
Mar 6th, 2026
Vast Secures $500M in Funding to Accelerate Production of Haven Space Stations — an update by VAST

Vast is advancing next-generation space station technologies and infrastructure for America and its allies.

Cision
Mar 5th, 2026
NYSE Content Update: Vast Raises $500 Million to Boost its Haven Space Stations

NYSE Content update: Vast raises $500 million to boost its Haven space stations. Mar 05, 2026, 08:58 ET NYSE issues a pre-market daily advisory direct from the trading floor. NEW YORK, March 5, 2026 /CNW/ - The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) provides a daily pre-market update directly from the NYSE Trading Floor. Access today's NYSE Pre-market update for market insights before trading begins. Ashley Mastronardi delivers the pre-market update on March 5th * Equities are trading choppily Thursday morning as the Iran conflict enters its sixth day, with investors reducing risk exposure and oil prices climbing on renewed energy-market disruptions. * RSM U.S. Chief Economist Joe Brusuelas and AAA Spokesperson Aixa Diaz will join NYSE Live this morning to speak to the impact of rising oil prices. * Next-Gen space station developer Vast has raised $500 million in fresh funding to accelerate production of its Haven space stations. * The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation will ring the Closing Bell to recognize distinguished acts of military valor. Opening Bell Pentair (NYSE: PNR) celebrates its 30th anniversary of listing Closing Bell The NYSE welcomes the Congressional Medal of Honor Society SOURCE New York Stock Exchange Joe Benarroch, [email protected], Head of Content, Media Partnerships, & Distribution

SpaceNews
Mar 5th, 2026
Vast raises $500M to build commercial space stations with Haven-1 launch in 2027

Vast has raised $500 million in its first significant outside funding, comprising $300 million in Series A equity and $200 million in debt. The round was led by Balerion Space Ventures, with participation from Qatar Investment Authority, IQT, Mitsui, MUFG, Nikon and others. The Long Beach-based company, previously funded by cryptocurrency billionaire founder Jed McCaleb, has invested over $1 billion and employs more than 1,000 people. Vast is building Haven-1, a single-module space station scheduled to launch in early 2027, as a precursor to the multi-module Haven-2 station for NASA's Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations programme. The company recently completed testing of Haven Demo, a satellite validating key subsystems, and won a private astronaut mission to the ISS scheduled for mid-2027.

Payload
Mar 5th, 2026
Vast Secures $500M, Including $300M Series A

Vast secures $500M, including $300M series A. Thursday March 5, 2026 Waning Gibbous Payload in your inbox. In-depth research, exclusive data, and expert analysis on the business and policy of space. Get ahead of the competition.