Director, Fluid Systems Test
Vast
| Company | Vast |
| Category | Engineering |
| Location | Long Beach |
| Remote | On-site (inferred) |
| Employment | Not stated |
| Level | Director |
| Salary | Not stated by the employer |
| Posted | 8 Jun 2026 |
| Last verified | 3 Aug 2026 |
| Source | Employer ATS (greenhouse) |
Description
At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven-1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. 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 seeking an experienced and highly driven Director, Fluid Systems Test , reporting to the Vice President of Fluid Systems , to lead the strategy, execution, and scaling of fluids test operations supporting the development of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations and supporting spacecraft systems.
The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in fluid systems testing, infrastructure development, high-risk operations, and organizational leadership within fast-paced aerospace or complex hardware development environments.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach, California location.
Responsibilities
Lead the Fluids Test organization responsible for component, subsystem, and integrated system development and qualification testing across propulsion, thermal control systems, ECLSS, pressurized systems, and spacecraft fluid distribution hardware
Develop and execute the long-term fluids test strategy supporting Haven-1 and future spacecraft programs from early development through qualification, supporting integration and flight readiness
Build, mentor, and scale a multidisciplinary organization of test engineers, technicians, operations specialists, controls engineers, and infrastructure teams
Oversee the design, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of fluids test stands, pressure systems, cryogenic systems, vacuum systems, and supporting ground infrastructure
Define and drive integrated test campaigns validating system performance, reliability, operational readiness, and human-rated safety requirements
Partner closely with Propulsion, Thermal, ECLSS, Structures, Avionics, GNC, Manufacturing, Systems Engineering, and Mission Operations teams to align test objectives, verification strategies, and development schedules
Establish rigorous engineering and operational processes for instrumentation, controls integration, data acquisition, calibration, configuration management, and test reporting
Lead test readiness reviews, operational procedure development, hazard analyses, and safety reviews for high-risk fluid, cryogenic, and pressurized system operations
Drive root cause investigations, anomaly resolution, corrective actions, and failure analysis efforts arising from integrated test campaigns and system performance issues
Develop organizational metrics, operational visibility tools, and infrastructure planning strategies to improve test throughput, utilization, reliability, and schedule predictability
Manage facility utilization, capital equipment planning, operational budgets, staffing forecasts, and long-range infrastructure investments
Support acceptance testing, spacecraft integration activities, launch site operations, and mission readiness testing as programs progress toward flight operations
Help establish the operational philosophy, safety standards, and verification methodologies for future human-rated spacecraft fluid systems and integrated