Senior Manager, Spacecraft Systems

The role

This person will lead the mission operations team to plan and execute crewed and uncrewed spacecraft missions. They will support the design and build of human-rated space stations and manage 24/7 console operations.

What you will do

• Own operational readiness for multiple crewed and uncrewed missions
• Turn customer and internal requirements into Concept of Operations and mission timelines
• Lead the Haven mission operations team
• Grow the mission operations team through hiring, mentoring, and coaching
• Lead cross-disciplinary mission operations development
• Identify and prioritize improvements to mission operations software and systems
• Achieve and maintain console certification
• Monitor on-orbit spacecraft performance and triage anomalies
• Support 24/7 console shifts for commissioning, critical operations, and anomaly response

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, or another engineering discipline, or equivalent experience
• 10+ years operating complex systems in spaceflight, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability environments
• Experience in human spaceflight mission operations, such as ISS flight control, commercial crew operations, or a comparable crewed program
• Experience as a flight controller or console operator for a crewed or complex uncrewed vehicle
• 3+ years of leadership experience, as a people manager, technical lead, or both, including mentoring and developing engineers
• Experience working across engineering disciplines to resolve operational issues
• Experience briefing senior leadership and customers on complex technical issues
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time
• Support 24/7 console operations, which may include nights, weekends, and holidays
• Must be a U.S. person as defined by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual)

Nice to have

• Experience building or substantially reshaping an operations team, process, or system in a fast-moving organization
• Experience in spacecraft design, build, test, and integration environments
• Familiarity with the satellite and/or crew vehicle mission lifecycle from early trades through flight
• Experience developing operations products including flight rules and procedures
• Experience with mission operations software, automation, or tooling

Benefits

• 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
• snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge
• lunch subsidized

Before you apply

• Applicants must be a U.S. person as defined by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (22 CFR § 120.62)

About the company

Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, the company has more than 1,000 employees.