NDE Engineer

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 worlds first commercial space station when it launches into low earth orbit in May 2026. Our team is all-in committed to executing our mission safely and on you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity come join us.

Vast is looking for a NDE Engineer reporting to the Manager of NDE to support the development of the inspection 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.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute feasibility studies Probability of Detection (POD) studies and qualification plans for inspection systems.
• Provide expert-level guidance on all NDT matters across the program lifecycle.
• Prepare and author detailed NDT procedures for various programs and parts.
• Design and implement part-specific NDE techniques for complex geometries and materials.
• Manage end-to-end development of automated NDE inspection systems to meet performance throughput and quality targets.
• Interface with cross-functional teams (manufacturing software design quality) to align on inspection requirements capabilities and design-for-inspection strategies.
• Collaborate on NDE process automation initiatives cycle time reduction and defect mitigation strategies.
• Support development documentation and training for new inspection processes and equipment.
• Conduct hardware/software integration testing and debug NDE system performance using field data.
• Present inspection risk/performance analyses to cross-functional stakeholders including executive leadership.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Engineering Physics or a related discipline.
• ASNT Level III or NAS-410 certification in RT UT ET VT and PT
• 10 years of NDE experience in aerospace nuclear or a related high-reliability industry.
• Demonstrated project management and hands-on engineering experience.
• Experience writing procedures executing inspections and qualifying new techniques.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters degree or Ph.D. in Engineering or relevant technical field.
• 2 years hands-on inspection experience
• 15 years of technical engineering experience ideally within aerospace.
• Knowledge of industry standards (NASA-STD-5009 PRC AMS AWS/ASME ASTM).
• Familiarity with inspection of advanced materials: high-strength aluminum alloys inconel titanium monel.
• Expertise in POD studies Gage R&R and inspection system capability analysis.
• Software and automation skills (Python LabVIEW C# SQL) and robotics integration.
• Strong foundation in statistical modeling machine learning or mathematical optimization.
• Experience with Jira or similar project management tools.
• Strong background in Lean principles and problem-solving methodologies (8D PPS etc.).

Additional Requirements:

• Willingness to work evenings and weekends during critical project phases.
• Occasional travel required (up to 10%)
• Must be able to lift 30 lbs unassisted and work in varied environments (e.g. loud outdoor).
• Flexible and adaptable work schedule including potential overtime.
• Strong communication skills: verbal written and presentation.
• Self-starter able to contribute both independently and as part of a collaborative team.

Pay Range:

• NDE Engineer II: $99000 - $142000
• Senior NDE Enginee: $124000 - $170000

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY