Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Thermal Control Systems

Vast is looking for a Lead Manufacturing Engineer Thermal Control Systems (TCS) reporting to the Manager Structures & Fluids Manufacturing to lead the team responsible for the development production and integration of thermal control hardware for artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

This will be a full-time exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the TCS manufacturing engineering team day to day: set priorities assign ownership run team rhythms and mentor engineers
• Participate in hiring and onboarding new engineers to the team
• Own manufacturing development production readiness and build execution for TCS hardware including pumps fluid loops coldplates heaters and tubing while staying hands-on with your own hardware
• Own the TCS manufacturing schedule and build sequencing across concurrent vehicle builds
• Report hardware status risks and mitigation plans to program leadership including a regular company-wide TCS hardware status update
• Partner with design engineering to drive design for manufacturing and assembly and production readiness from early design trades through flight hardware
• Drive development and qualification of special processes including welding brazing tube bending cleaning passivation leak testing and pressure testing
• Set standards for work instructions inspection plans and nonconformance disposition; drive root cause and corrective action to closure
• Work with technicians quality supply chain test integration and M&P teams to ensure successful system integration
• Support supplier development and manufacturing readiness for externally produced components and assemblies

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in an engineering or science discipline
• 5 years of experience in manufacturing engineering production engineering or hardware development for fluid thermal environmental control or life support systems
• 3 years of hands-on hardware experience supporting fabrication assembly integration and/or testing
• Experience developing manufacturing processes work instructions build plans or production documentation for complex hardware
• Experience mentoring engineers or leading a workstream build or small team (formal people management experience not required)

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Masters degree in an engineering discipline
• Experience as a technical lead project lead or informal team lead on hardware programs
• Experience participating in hiring and interviewing engineers
• Strong interest in developing into a people manager
• Experience supporting production or build execution for aerospace spacecraft propulsion ECLSS thermal fluid or other high-reliability hardware
• Strong experience with design for manufacturing and assembly production readiness process development and manufacturing risk reduction
• Proactive problem-solving skills including failure analysis root cause investigation corrective action implementation and design of experiments
• Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals to make clear recommendations with partial information
• Experience with rotating machinery pumps valves heat exchangers coldplates pressure vessels fans separators or other fluid system components
• Experience with soft goods flexible ducting seals insulation or other non-metallic flight hardware
• Solid understanding and application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing tolerance stack-up analysis and inspection planning
• Experience with structural analysis methods including hand calculations FEMAP or ANSYS to evaluate manufacturability strength life and fracture considerations
• Knowledge of metallic and fluid system manufacturing techniques processes equipment and special processes including machining welding brazing tube bending cleaning passivation leak testing proof testing and pressure testing
• Experience working directly with technicians on the shop floor to troubleshoot builds improve processes and execute hardware efficiently
• Ability to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment including frequent interaction with technicians engineers quality supply chain and managers
• Highly self-motivated with strong organizational and written/oral communication skills; able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment with an ongoing drive for continuous improvement