E-2 Shop Technician II

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.

Vast is seeking a Shop Technician II to join our engine development team, reporting to the E-2 Principal Engineer. In this role, you will contribute to building the world’s highest-performing engine for small launchers—designed with production efficiency and cost optimization in mind.

You will become part of a high-momentum team that has already produced and successfully tested fully integrated engine development units. As Shop Technician II, you will play a critical role in supporting the transition from development to production by helping to keep the shop operating smoothly and efficiently through hands-on support, equipment maintenance, and continuous process improvements.

This will be a full-time, non-exempt position located in our Hawthorne location.

Responsibilities:

• Assist with shop duties as required daily to support seamless operations.
• Perform routine maintenance, inspections, and repairs on various shop equipment, including CNC, to ensure optimal operation, uptime, and safety compliance.
• Use various mechanical tools and equipment confidently and independently, without instruction.
• Operate and maintain forklifts, scissor lifts, and other shop vehicles or mobile equipment safely and in compliance with training and certification requirements.
• Monitor, manage, and source inventory levels for tools, parts, and general shop supplies to prevent shortages and reduce downtime.
• Adhere strictly to all safety protocols and guidelines, maintaining a clean, orderly, and hazard-free work environment.
• Contact, coordinate, and manage external vendors and service providers to support shop equipment maintenance, supply replenishment, and specialty needs.
• Identify opportunities to improve shop processes and workflows, and implement solutions aligned with lean manufacturing, 5S, and other continuous improvement principles.
• Support cost-saving and productivity-enhancing initiatives by proposing and implementing improvements in tooling, layout, standard work, and waste reduction.
• Operate and maintain Maintenance Management Systems (MMS), ensuring all work orders, preventive maintenance schedules, and equipment histories are accurately logged and up to date.
• Work with production leadership to leverage digital tools and platforms to improve visibility into shop performance metrics and maintenance KPIs.
• Perform other related duties, as assigned, to ensure an efficient and effective work environment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalency certificate
• 3+ years experience in maintenance, hardware assembly and/or testing in a manufacturing or aerospace environment
• Preferred Skills & Experience:
• Experience in the aerospace industry, aviation, military or other high-reliability operating environments
• Skill in operating and manipulating machinery and various hand and power tools requiring manual dexterity
• A demonstrated ability in reading/understanding technical drawings, manuals and reports
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment
• Ability to rapidly change roles/responsibilities while working in a high-paced, challenging work environment
• Ability to effectively communicate (verbal and written) with engineering and production
• Proficient with computers and the ability to use MS Office
• Experience with forklifts, cranes and heavy equipment
• Implement continuous improvements on shop floor to increase productivity

Additional Requirements:

• Willingness to travel occasionally (up to 25% of the time)
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
• Ability to stand for extended periods, up to 8 hours
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted
  

Salary Range: California$23—$35 USDCOMPENSATION 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.