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Vast

Senior Mechanical Engineer, Structures

Location

Long Beach, CA

Wage

$137,760 – $230,472/yr

Employment Type

Full-time

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Posted on August 22, 2026

Job Description

Overview

At Vast, we are developing next-generation space stations to ensure a continuous human presence in space, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing. We are looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer, Structures to support the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

Responsibilities

  • Own design of primary and secondary structures on a large scale space station.
  • Develop understanding of static and dynamic loads, vibrations, thermal and other environmental considerations to drive design decisions.
  • Perform mechanical design and analysis, develop manufacturing drawings, test plans, concept of operations, and follow hardware through the entire process.
  • Lead trades and own interfaces with sub systems.
  • Work with fabricators and technicians to improve designs, develop processes, and resolve issues.

Requirements

  • Bachelor's Degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, civil engineering, physics, or math.
  • 4+ years experience with CAD and FEA software packages.
  • 4+ years of experience designing and developing mechanical components or systems.

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • PTO
  • 401k

Additional Information

  • This is a full-time, exempt position located in Long Beach.

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO
401k
Apply for This Position

How this job compares in Long Beach, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $89/hr, this posting sits about 81% above the $49/hr median for welding jobs in Long Beach, CA — toward the top of a $34–$71/hr middle band drawn from 30 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 90% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. Pay that far above local median usually comes attached to something: a harder cert requirement, travel, night shift, or overtime that isn't really optional. Worth establishing which before you accept.

The local market in Long Beach, CA

We're tracking 35 other active welding openings in Long Beach, CA right now, from 15 different employers. 17 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 596 other active welding openings from 294 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Long Beach, or widen the search to California.

Vast currently has 5 other openings live in California, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in California at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are SpaceX (34), Aerotek (16), and Volt (16). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within California, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Redondo Beach at $65/hr, Long Beach at $49/hr, and Santa Ana at $48/hr. Long Beach is among them.

Similar openings near Long Beach, CA

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Senior Mechanical Engineer, Structures figures were last recalculated when this page was built.