Tooling Manufacturing Engineer

Tooling Manufacturing Engineer

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 May 2026. 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.

The Tooling Group is at the core of transforming ambitious spacecraft designs into flight-ready reality. We engineer the fixtures, handling equipment, lift systems, and integration tooling that make complex assemblies safe, precise, and buildable at scale. Without these tools, large structures cannot be lifted, delicate assemblies cannot be aligned, and mission-critical components cannot be brought together with the precision required for spaceflight. By engineering the systems that allow manufacturing, assembly, and testing to run smoothly, the Tooling Group ensures that every milestone on the path to launching Haven-1—the world's first commercial space station is achievable.

As the Tooling Manufacturing Engineer, reporting to the Senior Director of Manufacturing, you will play a hands-on, end-to-end role in building the tools that enable Vast's mission to replace the International Space Station. From owning the fabrication and activation of complex tooling, to driving vendor relationships, to tracking changes across engineering and production, you will ensure that every fixture and system performs as designed and is delivered on time.

Your work will directly support critical lifts, handling operations, and assembly processes that protect high-value spacecraft hardware while enabling efficient build flow. By coordinating with upstream engineers and downstream technicians, you will resolve production issues, introduce improvements, and embed new technologies into our tooling ecosystem. In short, the tools you bring into production are what allow Haven-1 to move from blueprint to on orbit, making your role indispensable to Vast's larger mission of building the world's first artificial-gravity, human-rated space stations.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located at Vast's HQ in Long Beach, CA.

In this role, you will:

• Own the fabrication and activation of fixtures and tooling required for Haven-1 assembly, lifting, and handling
• Collaborate with tooling engineering and production to define specifications, qualification plans, and transition tooling into production
• Develop operation and maintenance plans for test fixtures and tooling; assist Facilities Managers with project implementation as needed
• Manage schedules on assigned projects, including next steps, deadlines, and deliverables
• Build and manage vendor relationships; coordinate meetings to evaluate new technologies and their application to Vast's programs
• Develop, test, and implement tooling fabrication process improvements to drive time savings
• Coordinate tooling modifications in response to part, production, or design changes
• Track and coordinate engineering changes with upstream and downstream stakeholders
• Oversee and track recovery strategies for non-conformances, issues, or other escapes
• Coordinate with procurement and internal/external stakeholders to ensure hardware and tooling priorities are aligned with need dates
• Partner closely with engineering stakeholders and technicians to resolve production-related issues
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to address program and process gaps

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Aerospace, or a related engineering discipline
• 2+ years of experience in aerospace or automotive tooling
• 2+ years of experience with NX or other 3D CAD software
• Proficiency in GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing)
• Experience working with work orders and assembly instructions
• Strong ability to build trust, maintain professional relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion
• Demonstrated bias for action and ownership, with good judgment on when to move quickly vs. when to deliberate
• Knowledge of project planning and execution practices, including logic-linked schedule management
• Significant configuration management experience with complex assemblies
• Hands-on experience handling, lifting, or building large, complex assemblies

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience with GANTT-style project management tools
• Background in designing pneumatic, electrical, or hydraulic motion systems
• Manufacturing experience with critical lifting and break-over fixtures
• Experience in integration tooling design and fabrication
• Passion for hardware development and comfort working in a fast-paced, hands-on environment
• Experience with NX and Teamcenter
• Familiarity with Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) principles
• Design experience including analysis and drawing development

Additional Requirements:

• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted

Pay Range:

• Senior Tooling Engineer: $100,000 - $129,360

Salary Range: California

$100,000 - $129,360 USD

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.

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.

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.