Head of Mission Management at Vast

Long Beach, California, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

16 Mar, 26

Salary

350000.0

Posted On

16 Dec, 25

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Mission Management, Crewed Missions, Contract Execution, Technical Interface, Systems Engineering, Program Management, Project Management, Team Leadership, Customer Engagement, Risk Management, Human Certification, Engineering Collaboration, Payload Design, NASA Interface, Spacecraft Testing, Technical Reviews

Industry

Defense and Space Manufacturing

Description

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 2026. It is part of our stepping stone approach to continuous human presence in LEO. 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 Head of Mission Management reporting to the Chief Operating Officer. In this role, you will shape Vast’s technical direction, customer experience, and programmatic success as we build the next generation of human-rated commercial space stations. This role provides executive ownership and contract execution for Vast’s NASA CLD program, end-to-end crewed mission management for Haven missions, and transportation providers. In addition, you will own the human certification process for all missions. This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location. Responsibilities: Lead a team of mission managers responsible for crew, payload, & transportation provider contract execution and integration of teams across the company to achieve mission and program needs. Responsible for all missions achieving human certification requirements. Serve as the primary technical interface to customers such as NASA and major stakeholders, leading reviews and presenting mission designs, trade studies, risks, and program recommendations. Accountable for customer happiness and success throughout the program life cycle. Lead all aspects of NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations program execution including capture, proposal development, contract award, verification, certification, integration, test, and flight operations. Oversee end-to-end delivery of crewed and payload missions, including providing technical pre-sales support, customer onboarding, mission unique requirement accommodation, training, launch, on-orbit operations, return, rehabilitation, and all ICD development and control. Own and execute the human certification process ensuring all teams achieve the rigorous standards necessary for human spaceflight safety. Direct development and execution of integrated mission and program schedules, ensuring all milestones, deliverables, and payment events are achieved on time. Build, mentor, and scale high-performing engineering, mission, and proposal teams, fostering clarity, prioritization, and strong decision-making across the program. Collaborate across all business functions including engineering, production, supply chain and operations to assess vehicle readiness, evaluate design trades, and manage risks that impact mission requirements and launch timelines. Ensure all customer deliverables are completed on time and in full accordance with contractual and payment milestone requirements. Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related engineering discipline. 10+ years of leadership experience within space missions or spaceflight organizations. 10+ years of experience in spacecraft or payload design, testing, and/or hardware delivery. Proven experience interfacing with government agencies—ideally NASA—on complex technical programs. Strong background in systems engineering or technical program management for space missions. Preferred Skills & Experience: Ability to execute complex project management that drives a project schedule forward, while minimizing the overall impact to other engineering efforts across the company. Experience building and leading engineering and cross-functional teams. Ability to own and manage multiple concurrent development and test programs with varied timelines. Be a simplifier of topics, able to easily interact with management and team members with a focus on improving business performance. Comfortable driving team performance while balancing the needs of a fast growth tech company in a rapidly changing environment. Additional Requirements: Ability to travel up to 25% of the time. Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones. Pay Range: Head of Mission Management: $250,000 -$350,000 Salary Range: California $250,000—$350,000 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, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, 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, 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. 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.

Responsibilities

Lead a team of mission managers to ensure successful crewed missions and contract execution. Serve as the primary technical interface to customers, ensuring customer satisfaction throughout the program life cycle.