Director, Loads & Dynamics

<div class="content-intro"><p>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 Demo’s 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 world’s 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.</p></div><p>Vast is seeking a highly accomplished and strategic <strong>Director, Loads &amp; Dynamics</strong>, reporting to the <strong>Vice President of Structures &amp; Mechanical Systems</strong>, to lead and scale the Loads &amp; Dynamics organization supporting next-generation human-rated space stations and spacecraft.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>This will be a <strong>full-time</strong>, <strong>exempt</strong> position located in our <strong>Long Beach</strong> location.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4><strong>Responsibilities:</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Lead, scale, and develop the Loads &amp; 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.</li> <li>Define and execute the long-term technical strategy and roadmap for the Loads &amp; Dynamics discipline, aligned with company objectives, program milestones, and business growth plans.</li> <li>Own department-level budget, headcount planning, capital investments, and resource allocation decisions to support current and future program needs.</li> <li>Drive execution excellence across the full product lifecycle, including concept development, requirements definition, analysis, testing, verification, qualification, flight support, and on-orbit operations.</li> <li>Establish and maintain system-level dynamic models, load cases, environments, and methodologies to support spacecraft design, integration, certification, and operations across multiple vehicle programs.</li> <li>Define internal loads and environmental requirements derived from system-level requirements, including quasi-static, random vibration, shock, and acoustic environments.</li> <li>Provide technical authority and oversight for vibration and shock requirement tailoring, test planning, and qualification verification activities across all programs.</li> <li>Lead the development, correlation, and continuous improvement of finite element and dynamic prediction models using test data, flight data, and lessons learned.</li> <li>Establish standardized post-processing tools, methodologies, and best practices for dynamic analyses, test data reduction, and high-speed data processing across teams.</li> <li>Oversee assessment of vendor and supplier hardware capabilities against internally generated dynamic predictions and qualification requirements.</li> <li>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.</li> <li>Lead and oversee technical reviews, design trades, failure investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action efforts related to dynamic environments and structural performance.</li> <li>Provide executive-level technical leadership for spacecraft qualification activities, including vibration, modal, acoustic, and shock testing campaigns.</li> <li>Establish organizational priorities, staffing strategies, succession plans, and capability development initiatives to build a world-class Loads &amp; Dynamics team.</li> <li>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.</li> <li>Develop and mentor managers and senior engineers, fostering a culture of accountability, technical excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.</li> <li>Drive organizational and process improvements that enhance modeling accuracy, analysis efficiency, product quality, and program execution performance across the department.</li> <li>Build and maintain relationships with external customers, agencies, suppliers, contractors, and test facilities to support development, qualification, and mission success.</li> <li>Represent the Loads &amp; Dynamics organization in executive leadership forums, program reviews, customer meetings, and industry engagements.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>Minimum Qualifications:</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.</li> <li>12+ years of engineering experience in aerospace or other safety-critical industries.</li> <li>5+ years of engineering management experience, including experience managing managers or leading multiple teams.</li> <li>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.</li> <li>Deep expertise in structural dynamics fundamentals, finite element methods, and systems integration principles.</li> <li>Proven track record supporting hardware development through full product lifecycle, including qualification, certification, launch, and flight operations.</li> <li>Proficiency with industry-standard analysis tools such as FEMAP/NASTRAN, ANSYS, Abaqus, or equivalent.</li> <li>Experience owning department-level budgets, resource planning, and organizational development.</li> <li>Experience working with cross-functional engineering, manufacturing, and program management organizations.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>Preferred Skills &amp; Experience:</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Master's degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Dynamics, or a related technical discipline.</li> <li>Experience leading Loads &amp; Dynamics organizations responsible for multiple spacecraft, launch vehicles, or flight-critical system programs.</li> <li>Proven success delivering complex aerospace programs from concept through qualification, integration, launch, and on-orbit operations.</li> <li>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.</li> <li>Extensive hands-on experience overseeing vibration, acoustic, shock, and modal testing campaigns in laboratory, production, and launch site environments.</li> <li>Experience developing organizational capabilities for finite element model development, correlation, and certification using test and flight data.</li> <li>Deep familiarity with coupled loads analysis (CLA), spacecraft dynamic environments, launch vehicle integration requirements, and payload certification processes.</li> <li>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.</li> <li>Ability to communicate complex structural dynamic concepts clearly to executive leadership, customers, and multidisciplinary engineering organizations.</li> <li>Strong strategic thinking, analytical, troubleshooting, and root cause investigation skills.</li> <li>Excellent executive communication, organizational, and collaboration skills.</li> <li>Experience building and scaling engineering organizations in fast-paced development and manufacturing environments.</li> <li>Experience interfacing with NASA, DoD, FAA, or commercial spaceflight customers on technical and certification matters.</li> <li>Passion for advancing the future of human spaceflight and space habitation.</li> </ul><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="title">Pay Range: California</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$188,600</span><span class="divider">&mdash;</span><span>$267,720 USD</span></div></div></div><div class="content-conclusion"><div style="line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</div> <div style="line-height: 1;"><strong>COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS</strong></div> <div style="line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</div> <div style="line-height: 1;"> <div> <div data-qa="message_pane"> <div> <div id="message-list"> <div id="message-list"> <div data-qa="slack_kit_scrollbar"> <div> <div data-qa="slack_kit_list"> <div id="message-list_1770163429.476589" data-qa="virtual-list-item" data-item-key="1770163429.476589"> <div data-qa="message_container" data-qa-unprocessed="false" data-qa-placeholder="false" data-msg-ts="1770163429.476589" data-msg-channel-id="D1T52LDR4"> <div data-qa-hover="true"> <div> <div> <div> <div data-qa="message_content"> <div> <div data-qa="message-text"> <div data-qa="block-kit-renderer"> <div> <div> <div>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 &amp; onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="message-list_bottomSpacer" data-qa="virtual-list-item" data-item-key="bottomSpacer"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div>&nbsp;</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div style="line-height: 1;"> <p><strong>U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS</strong></p> 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 <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/section-120.62">22 C.F.R. § 120.62</a> 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.</div> <div style="line-height: 1;">&nbsp;</div> <p style="line-height: 1;"><strong>EQUAL OPPORTUNITY</strong></p> <div style="line-height: 1;">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.</div></div>