Electric Propulsion Specialist

Vast is looking for a(n) Electric Propulsion Specialist, reporting to the Director of Production, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of human-rated space stations. This will be a full-time, non-exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

As an Electric Propulsion Specialist, you'll work hands-on in the lab where our propulsion hardware gets built and tested. You'll work side by side with propulsion engineers to assemble, wire, and test electric propulsion hardware, from thrusters to the high-voltage power and harnessing that drives them.

Responsibilities:

Fabricate, assemble, integrate, and test electric propulsion hardware, including thrusters, propellant feed components, power electronics, and test support equipment

Build, inspect, and repair electrical harnesses and cable assemblies, including soldering, crimping, potting, splicing, lacing, and connector termination

Safely work on high-voltage systems and equipment, following lockout/tagout, grounding, and other electrical safety practices

Run, maintain, and troubleshoot vacuum chambers and pumping systems

Set up and run thruster and component tests, including mounting hardware, routing instrumentation, checking out data acquisition systems, and monitoring tests

Machine fixtures, brackets, adapters, and test hardware on manual and/or CNC mills and lathes from drawings or engineering sketches

Diagnose electrical and mechanical problems using multimeters, hipot and insulation-resistance testers, oscilloscopes, and leak detectors

Follow and help write work instructions, test procedures, and build travelers, and record as-built configurations and any non-conformances accurately

Keep the lab, tooling, and test areas clean, organized, and safe, including inventory of consumables and spares

Work with engineering, quality, and other technicians to feed manufacturing and test lessons back into design

Minimum Qualifications:

5+ years of hands-on experience as an electrical, electromechanical, or test technician in aerospace, defense, research, or a similar high-reliability industry (or equivalent military experience)

Demonstrated experience building wire harnesses and cable assemblies, including soldering, crimping, and connector termination

Experience working safely on high-voltage systems or equipment

Machining experience on manual and/or CNC mills and lathes

Preferred Skills & Experience:

Experience operating and maintaining high-vacuum systems, including roughing pumps, turbomolecular pumps, diffusion pumps, and/or cryopumps

Experience with helium leak detection, vacuum gauges, and vacuum fittings (KF, CF, ISO)

Experience with electric propulsion systems (Hall-effect, gridded ion, or similar) or plasma/high-voltage lab equipment

Welding experience (TIG preferred), especially on stainless steel or thin-walled tubing

Current IPC/WHMA-A-620, J-STD-001 (including Space Addendum), and/or NASA-STD-8739 certification

Experience with precision cleaning, cleanroom work, or contamination control for flight hardware

Experience with propellant feed systems, including tube bending, fittings, and pressure/leak testing

Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and mechanical drawings, including GD&T

Experience with data acquisition systems and test instrumentation

Familiarity with documenting work in an MES or similar system for manufacturing and quality records

Strong attention to detail and a commitment to quality and safety

Ability to work effectively in a team and to make sound independent judgments with limited information

Comfortable in a fast-paced environment, balancing several tasks at once and adapting to changing priorities

Additional Requirements:

Willingness to work overtime, extended shifts, or weekends to support critical test campaigns and mission milestones

Ability to lift up to [50] lbs unassisted

Ability to wear PPE as required, and to work in cleanrooms and confined spaces around test chambers

Ability to travel up to [10]% of the time to support testing at vendor or external facilities

Pay Range: California

$42.97—$61 USD