Propulsion Test Engineer

The job

LIVE Employer public job feed (private-sector employer) Source: the employer's public careers feed · Data: listed 2025-09-24

Job description

Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental, hardware-rich, and capital-efficient approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station to support a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and supporting a growing space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to design, build, and operate its own spacecraft in orbit. Next, Haven-1 is targeted to become the world’s first commercial space station, with launch anticipated in 2027, followed by additional Haven modules. Additionally, the company recently announced two new offerings leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo: Vast Satellite, a high-power satellite product line; and Vast Lunar Systems, power, communications, and habitats for the Moon.

Headquartered in Long Beach, California, and with more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, Vast has built the facilities capable of manufacturing America’s next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for Mars, dedicated modules for government partners, and other crewed systems designed to unlock the expanding long-term space economy.

Vast is looking for an Propulsion Test Engineer, reporting to the Senior Manager, Engineering (E-2), to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

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

Responsibilities: 

• Sit on console as Test Conductor and Test Director running hotfires of the E-2 LOX/Kerosene oxidizer-rich staged combustion engine. 
• Plan and lead hazardous operations including work with high pressures and cryogenic fluids.
• Assist in driving engine development, qualification, and acceptance test campaigns to completion.
• Author and maintain test procedures, sequences, and configuration files for hazardous operations.
• Support Test Readiness Reviews (TRRs). 
• Work side by side with the test stand technicians during fabrication of test stand hardware and integration of test articles.
• Work on projects to design and modify fluid and electrical systems on the engine test stands.
• Troubleshoot fluid, mechanical, electrical, and software related systems on the test stands.  
• Implement continuous improvements to improve safety and test site productivity.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline.
• 2+ years of experience in the operation, design and development of fluid systems, or hardware testing.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience handling cryogenic fluids.
• Experience with NX and Teamcenter.
• Experience with Epsilon3.
• Experience with JIRA / Confluence.
• Experience with coding languages (Python, Matlab, Visual Basic).
• Experience building and testing high pressure fluid/gas systems.
• Experience reviewing data and taking corrective actions based on findings.
• Experience with common instrumentation and controls systems and sensors.
• Tube fitting & bending, familiar with common industry fittings systems.
• Read & interpret Plumbing and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs).
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, along with effective teamwork abilities.
• Ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability and willingness to thrive in a fast-paced, rapidly changing work environment.

Additional Requirements:

• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs unassisted and work in an outdoor, physically demanding test environment (from freezing conditions to temps up to 120 degrees fahrenheit).

Pay Range: 

• Propulsion Test Engineer I: $86,000 - $120,000
• Propulsion Test Engineer II: $110,000 - $155,000

We calibrate level and compensation to the selected candidate's experience and demonstrated capability. We welcome applicants across a range of experience levels to apply.

COMPENSATION 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: 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, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, 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.

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.

Explore around this job

Field: Engineering, Construction and Energy Sub-niche: Manufacturing and hardware engineering All jobs at Vast Jobs in California Jobs in Mojave, CA California state guide

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About the role

This is a — role in the Engineering, Construction and Energy field (Manufacturing and hardware engineering) at Vast.

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The city

Mojave, CA is not one of the cities with its own page in our guides, so here is the state: California.

The state economy in brief

California is in the West region (Pacific division) and has 39,287,376 residents (the 1st largest of the 50 states and DC by population), with a median age of 37.9. Its economy produced about $4,438,822 million in the latest four quarters (BEA), 1st among states and DC, equal to $112,983 per resident.

Jobs and the labour market

The unemployment rate was 5.1% in 2026M09, which is 49th lowest of 51 (1st is the lowest). Employers had job openings equal to 3.6% of employment, 37th highest of 51, a measure of how hard it is to hire. The median wage across all occupations is $58,240 a year ($28.00 an hour), 14% above the national median ($58,240 against $50,980).

What people do and what it pays

The occupations with the most jobs in California are Home Health and Personal Care Aides (970,150 jobs, median $34,320); Fast Food and Counter Workers (449,840 jobs, median $42,280); Retail Salespersons (376,460 jobs, median $38,440); Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (355,500 jobs, median $44,710); Registered Nurses (338,940 jobs, median $140,270). Among occupations with at least 2,000 jobs, the best paid are Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (median $353,900); Psychiatrists (median $353,500); General Internal Medicine Physicians (median $313,890). Compared with the nation, the state is most specialised in farming, fishing, and forestry (4.1 times the national share of workers) and healthcare support (1.5 times the national share of workers).

Cost of living, taxes and workplace rules

Prices are above the national average in California: the regional price parity is 110.7 against 100 for the whole country (51st lowest of 51). Median gross rent is $2,036 a month and the median household income $99,122, so a year of rent equals 24.6% of income; the median home value is $734,700. The state minimum wage is $16.90 (the higher of state and federal rates applies to most workers). State income tax on wages: Graduated, top rate 13.30%. It is not a right-to-work state, so union contracts can require fees from covered workers. It runs a state paid family and medical leave programme.

People and commuting

27.0% of residents were born abroad and 37.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Among workers, 65.7% drive alone, 2.9% use public transit and 17.2% work from home; 19.4% commute 45 minutes or more.

State guide: California →

Where to live

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Career paths

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Construction and field engineering (462) Energy and utilities (625)

Distances

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The employer

Vast is the employer in this listing. See all its open jobs here →

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Other open jobs at Vast

Similar jobs

Same sub-niche: Manufacturing and hardware engineering

More jobs in Mojave, CA

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FAQ

What is the Propulsion Test Engineer job at Vast?

A private-sector role in engineering, construction and energy (manufacturing and hardware engineering) listed 412 days ago. The full description is on this page and on the employer's page.

Where is this job?

Mojave, CA.

How do I apply?

Use the "View this job and apply on the employer's page" button. AtiveSite does not receive applications.

How much does it pay?

The listing does not publish pay, and we could not match the title to one official occupation.

What is the cost of living there?

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How old is this listing?

It was posted on 2025-09-24 (412 days ago). Jobs older than 90 days are not shown.

Are there similar jobs?

Yes: browse manufacturing and hardware engineering jobs in California.

Sources and terms

• Job data: Vast careers page public feed (listing dated 2025-09-24). The job disappears from this site when it disappears from the source.
• Wages and projections: BLS OEWS (May 2025) and Employment Projections 2025–35.
• City and county figures: Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024, BEA, BLS QCEW and LAUS, NASA POWER climatology; distances from Census Gazetteer coordinates.

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Sources

• BLS OEWS (wages and employment by occupation, May 2025)
• BLS Employment Projections 2025–35
• BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
• BLS JOLTS
• BLS State and Metro Area Employment
• Census Bureau American Community Survey (via Census Reporter)
• BEA GDP by state and Regional Price Parities
• IRS 2026 tax adjustments
• U.S. Department of Labor, minimum wage by state
• Tax Foundation state income tax rates 2026
• USAJOBS
• USCIS
• U.S. Department of State, visas
• NASA POWER climatology
• GeoNames / Census Gazetteer (coordinates)