Manufacturing Engineering, Fluid Systems

Location

Long Beach, CA

Wage

$86,100 – $122,220/yr

Employment Type

Full-time

Apply for This Position

Posted on October 31, 2026

Job Description

Overview

Vast is developing next-generation space stations and infrastructure with a focus on low-cost and innovative solutions. The company is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer, Fluid Systems, to design, build, and test systems for their human-rated space stations, contributing to the future of space exploration.

Responsibilities

  • Conceptualize and manufacture innovative tube-bending and welding cells for the Haven-1 program.
  • Lead first-build and test efforts, including design integration and assembly sequencing.
  • Create and maintain detailed manufacturing plans and assembly procedures.
  • Identify and resolve manufacturing challenges through root-cause analysis.
  • Apply critical thinking to drive efficient human-spaceflight production.
  • Collaborate with design engineers, production teams, and external vendors.
  • Develop tooling solutions to streamline production and increase output.
  • Partner with quality assurance teams to maintain quality control processes.
  • Establish standard practices and review planning documents.
  • Support day-to-day production of bent tubes and welded tubing.
  • Evaluate existing production requirements using data-driven insights.
  • Continuously improve production systems to enhance efficiency and quality.

Requirements

  • B.S. in mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing or electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related technical field.
  • 2+ years of manufacturing experience managing a product/product line.
  • 2-4+ years of experience for Manufacturing Engineer II.
  • 4-6+ years of experience for Senior Manufacturing Engineer.
  • Hands-on fabrication, assembly, and/or integration experience.
  • CAD proficiency, preferably with Siemens NX.
  • Experience with CAD tools and ability to generate manufacturing documentation.

Benefits

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

Additional Information

  • Full-time, exempt position located in Long Beach, CA.
  • Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones.

Benefits

401k
Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO

How this job compares in Long Beach, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $50/hr, this posting lands within a few percent of the $48/hr median for welding jobs in Long Beach, CA, whose middle half runs $34–$58/hr across 37 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 54% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. In other words it is a market-rate offer, so benefits, overtime, and shift schedule are where the real difference between this and the next posting on the list shows up.

The local market in Long Beach, CA

We're tracking 42 other active welding openings in Long Beach, CA right now, from 18 different employers. 11 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 486 other active welding openings from 234 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 8 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 (35), Welding Shop in Los Angeles, CA (17), and Relativity Space (14). 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 Long Beach at $48/hr, El Segundo at $48/hr, and Los Angeles at $44/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. Manufacturing Engineering, Fluid Systems figures were last recalculated when this page was built.