Director, Loads & Dynamics

At Vast our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing and unlocking a new space economy for government corporate and private customers. Using an incremental hardware-rich and low-cost approach Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. Haven Demos 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next Haven-1 is expected to become the worlds first commercial space station when it launches followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. 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.

Vast is seeking a highly accomplished and strategic Director Loads & Dynamics reporting to the Vice President of Structures & Mechanical Systems to lead and scale the Loads & Dynamics organization supporting next-generation human-rated space stations and spacecraft.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive technical expertise in spacecraft or launch vehicle dynamics proven experience building and leading high-performing engineering teams and a track record of delivering complex aerospace programs from concept through flight operations.

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

Responsibilities:

• Lead scale and develop the Loads & Dynamics organization including multiple engineering teams and managers responsible for low- and high-frequency loads and environment predictions across all spacecraft programs and product lines.
• Define and execute the long-term technical strategy and roadmap for the Loads & Dynamics discipline aligned with company objectives program milestones and business growth plans.
• Own department-level budget headcount planning capital investments and resource allocation decisions to support current and future program needs.
• Drive execution excellence across the full product lifecycle including concept development requirements definition analysis testing verification qualification flight support and on-orbit operations.
• Establish and maintain system-level dynamic models load cases environments and methodologies to support spacecraft design integration certification and operations across multiple vehicle programs.
• Define internal loads and environmental requirements derived from system-level requirements including quasi-static random vibration shock and acoustic environments.
• Provide technical authority and oversight for vibration and shock requirement tailoring test planning and qualification verification activities across all programs.
• Lead the development correlation and continuous improvement of finite element and dynamic prediction models using test data flight data and lessons learned.
• Establish standardized post-processing tools methodologies and best practices for dynamic analyses test data reduction and high-speed data processing across teams.
• Oversee assessment of vendor and supplier hardware capabilities against internally generated dynamic predictions and qualification requirements.
• Partner with senior leadership across Structures Propulsion Thermal Avionics GNC Manufacturing Test Systems Engineering and Program Management to ensure integrated vehicle performance and successful hardware delivery.
• Lead and oversee technical reviews design trades failure investigations root cause analyses and corrective action efforts related to dynamic environments and structural performance.
• Provide executive-level technical leadership for spacecraft qualification activities including vibration modal acoustic and shock testing campaigns.
• Establish organizational priorities staffing strategies succession plans and capability development initiatives to build a world-class Loads & Dynamics team.
• Serve as technical authority and risk management leader for dynamic environments ensuring system performance reliability safety and compliance with aerospace standards certification requirements and customer specifications.
• Develop and mentor managers and senior engineers fostering a culture of accountability technical excellence innovation and continuous improvement.
• Drive organizational and process improvements that enhance modeling accuracy analysis efficiency product quality and program execution performance across the department.
• Build and maintain relationships with external customers agencies suppliers contractors and test facilities to support development qualification and mission success.
• Represent the Loads & Dynamics organization in executive leadership forums program reviews customer meetings and industry engagements.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering Mechanical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 12 years of engineering experience in aerospace or other safety-critical industries.
• 5 years of engineering management experience including experience managing managers or leading multiple teams.
• Extensive experience in loads and environments prediction structural dynamics vibration acoustic shock and coupled systems analyses for spacecraft launch vehicles or other flight-critical systems.
• Deep expertise in structural dynamics fundamentals finite element methods and systems integration principles.
• Proven track record supporting hardware development through full product lifecycle including qualification certification launch and flight operations.
• Proficiency with industry-standard analysis tools such as FEMAP/NASTRAN ANSYS Abaqus or equivalent.
• Experience owning department-level budgets resource planning and organizational development.
• Experience working with cross-functional engineering manufacturing and program management organizations.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Masters degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering Mechanical Engineering Structural Dynamics or a related technical discipline.
• Experience leading Loads & Dynamics organizations responsible for multiple spacecraft launch vehicles or flight-critical system programs.
• Proven success delivering complex aerospace programs from concept through qualification integration launch and on-orbit operations.
• Technical authority-level expertise in modal analysis quasi-static loads random vibration sine vibration shock acoustic environments transient dynamic response analysis and coupled loads analysis.
• Extensive hands-on experience overseeing vibration acoustic shock and modal testing campaigns in laboratory production and launch site environments.
• Experience developing organizational capabilities for finite element model development correlation and certification using test and flight data.
• Deep familiarity with coupled loads analysis (CLA) spacecraft dynamic environments launch vehicle integration requirements and payload certification processes.
• Expert knowledge of spacecraft launch load environments and industry standards such as SMC-S-016 GSFC-STD-7000A MIL-STD-810 NASA-STD-5002 and NASA-STD-7001.
• Ability to communicate complex structural dynamic concepts clearly to executive leadership customers and multidisciplinary engineering organizations.
• Strong strategic thinking analytical troubleshooting and root cause investigation skills.
• Excellent executive communication organizational and collaboration skills.
• Experience building and scaling engineering organizations in fast-paced development and manufacturing environments.
• Experience interfacing with NASA DoD FAA or commercial spaceflight customers on technical and certification matters.
• Passion for advancing the future of human spaceflight and space habitation.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY