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.
Vast is looking for a Senior Battery Test Engineer, reporting to the Senior Director of Power and Systems, to support the development of the 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.
Responsibilities:
- Own the test programs for battery cells, modules, packs, and COTs batteries for the first commercial space station.
- Define tests, document test plans, and acquire testing resources to meet Vast’s battery testing requirements for human rated space station energy storage systems.
- End-to-end ownership of all test work planning, schedules, and test resources including test equipment, infrastructure, and lab space.
- Interface with technicians as needed for test execution and post-mortem inspection.
- Perform cell screening, cell functional testing, cell lifetime testing, module level testing, battery qualification and environmental testing, passive propagation resistance testing, and destructive cell testing.
- Summarize test data, and aggregate results using appropriate statistical analysis.
- Interface with NASA and other governing agencies to certify battery testing to applicable standards.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or other related engineering discipline
- 3 years experience owning the test campaigns of electro-mechanical systems
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- 4+ years of experience in battery electrical and mechanical systems for space vehicles across the product lifetime including design, development, test, in flight operation, and anomaly resolution
- Ability to creatively solve problems and bring multiple disciplines together while assessing risk and making design and development decisions with incomplete data set
- Experience working with instrumentation and data acquisition (e.g. SPICE, SQL, and/or National Instruments hardware)
- Experience with software programming: Matlab, Python, C/C++, etc
- Experience with vehicle and instrumentation buses such as Ethernet, CAN, SPI, and I2C, as well as serial I/O (RS232/422/485)
- Experience with full-lifecycle product development
- Experience with battery design for spaceflight environment, verifying workmanship and operability through environmental tests (random vibration, shock, thermal, TVAC, and thermal runaway testing)
- Experience with Siemens NX and Altium, or equivalent electrical design platforms
- Familiarity with NASA battery cell screening standards for human spaceflight, JSC-20793
- Familiarity with spacecraft specifications such as SMC-S-016, NASA-STD-5001
- 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
Additional Requirements:
- Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
Salary Range: California
$150,000—$180,000 USD
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 10 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.
