Solar Array Engineer, Mechanical
Job Location:
Long Beach, NY - USA
Yearly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental hardware-rich and low-cost approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station 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. 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 in 2027 followed by additional Haven modules. Additionally the company recently announced Vast Satellite a high-power satellite product line leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo.
Headquartered in Long Beach California and with more than 1000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital Vast has built the facilities required to manufacture and operate Americas next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for the Moon and Mars dedicated space stations for government partners and other crewed systems that will unlock the expanding long-term space economy.
Vast is looking for a Solar Array Engineer Mechanical reporting to the Principal Power Systems Engineer to support the design analysis build and test of mechanisms for solar array deployment and articulation on human-rated space stations.
This will be a full-time exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
- Design and analyze mechanisms for solar array deployment including spring-driven hinges latches dampers and hold-down/release devices
- Design and analyze mechanisms for solar array articulation including motorized gimbals gear trains bearings and drive electronics interfaces
- Build and maintain torque budgets for deployment and articulation mechanisms including friction harness resistance disturbance torques and margin verification per NASA-STD-5017B
- Select and specify bearings lubricants motors gearboxes encoders/resolvers and other drivetrain components for the space environment
- Perform or support mechanism life analysis bearing life lubricant life wear analysis and define qualification test programs to demonstrate life margin
- Design for integration and test develop deployment test procedures gravity offload approaches and workmanship screens
- Interface with structures thermal GN&C and power teams to ensure mechanisms meet system-level requirements (deployed stiffness pointing accuracy disturbance torques power transfer across rotating joints)
- Support environmental test campaigns (vibration thermal vacuum shock life testing) per SMC-S-016
- Perform or support failure analysis root cause investigation and mechanism anomaly resolution
- Participate in design reviews FMEA/FMECA and technical documentation for internal and NASA deliverables
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering aerospace engineering or related discipline
- 510 years of experience designing building and testing electromechanical systems preferably mechanisms for spacecraft satellites or robotic systems
- Demonstrated experience with mechanism design fundamentals: bearings gears motors springs fasteners and structural load paths
- Ability to build and defend a torque budget or force budget for a mechanism from first principles
- Experience with environmental testing of mechanical hardware (vibration thermal cycling life testing)
- Hands-on experience you have built assembled or integrated the hardware you designed
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Experience with spring-driven deployable mechanisms hinges latches dampers hold-down/release devices. Understanding of deployment torque margin verification and ground test challenges (gravity offload thermal effects on torque budget)
- Experience with motorized mechanisms gimbals solar array drive assemblies (SADAs) antenna positioners or robotic actuators. Familiarity with BLDC motors stepper motors gearbox types (planetary harmonic drive cycloidal) and anti-backlash techniques
- Knowledge of tribology for the space environment solid film lubricants (MoS₂ WS₂) space-rated greases (Braycote Pennzane) lubricant life analysis and the challenges of ground testing vs. on-orbit performance
- Familiarity with NASA-STD-5017B (mechanism design and analysis) including torque margin requirements and life testing philosophy
- Experience with bearing design for space mechanisms angular contact bearing configurations preload methods thermal effects on preload and lubrication-limited life analysis
- Understanding of control and feedback architecture for pointing mechanisms encoders resolvers motor-side vs. load-side feedback backlash compensation
- Familiarity with FBD construction and deployment dynamics conservation of angular momentum spacecraft disturbance torques during deployment and ACS interaction
- Familiarity with SMC-S-016 or GEVS environmental test requirements
- CAD experience in NX or similar (Teamcenter experience is a plus)
- Experience with analysis tools hand calculations MATLAB/Python for mechanism dynamics FEA for structural assessment of mechanism components
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 50% of the time
- Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
- Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted
- Specific certifications as appropriate
Pay Range: California
$112340 - $230472 USD
We calibrate level and compensation to the selected candidates experience and demonstrated capability. We welcome applicants across a range of experience levels to apply.
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: medical dental and vision coverage for employees and dependents generous paid time off; up to 20 days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10 days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually paid parental leave short and long-term disability insurance life insurance access to a 401(k) retirement plan ClassPass credits personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks with snacks drip coffee & onsite barista cold drinks and dinner meals remaining free of charge and lunch subsidized as part of Vasts ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.
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 by22 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.
Required Experience:
IC
About Company
Vast is developing humanity’s most capable space stations, pioneering the next giant leap toward long-term living and thriving in space.
