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 August 2025. 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.
In this role, you will design structures and mechanical packaging for batteries and cells, focusing on battery safety, development, and mechanical systems.
- End-to-end ownership of battery and cell mechanical packaging specifications, simulation, CAD design, manufacturing, assembly, thermal runaway testing, environmental qualification (vibration, thermal vacuum), and integrated system-level validation
- Designs, develops, prototypes, and tests all aspects of mechanical components and drives manufacturing and assembly of batteries using 18650/21700/prismatic cells.
- Identifies appropriate materials and processes to ensure quality, performance, and manufacturability for the design of Passive Propagation Resistance (PPR) packaging.
- Develop battery models for mechanical, thermal, and system-level simulation
- Perform failure modes and effects analyses and drive reliability design and validation plans at the system level
Minimum Qualifications:
- 5+ years of experience with CAD design and mechanical drawing development.
- 5+ years experience in hands-on assembly and testing.
- Experience interfacing with manufacturing and assembly for prototyping
- Previous battery mechanical design experience
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Ability to creatively solve problems and bring multiple disciplines together while assessing risk and making design and development decisions with incomplete data set
- Experience with full-lifecycle product development
- Experience with battery mechanical design for spaceflight environment, verifying workmanship and operability through environmental tests (random vibration, shock, thermal, TVAC, and thermal runaway testing)
- Experience working with battery systems and electrical systems.
- Experience with Siemens NX or similar modeling software, Altium, electrical design platforms, thermal analysis platforms, computational fluids dynamics (CFD) platforms, combustion analysis platforms
- Experience with GD&T implementation and analysis (ASME Y14.5)
- Strong sense of accountability and integrity with excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to thrive at an early-stage startup where you will have the opportunity to help create and optimize key systems and processes
Pay Range:
- Senior Battery Mechanical Design Engineer Level III: $160,000-$180,000
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, flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 15 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, free catered meals and snacks and beverages, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks.
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.
