Senior Mission Manager

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven-1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. 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 looking for a Senior Mission Manager , reporting to the Vice President of Mission Management, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations. The Senior Mission Manager is fully responsible for end-to-end mission success for highly complex, crewed missions. This role serves as the primary customer interface and internal mission lead from contract award through on-orbit execution and mission closeout. This will be a full-time , exempt position located in our Long Beach location. Responsibilities: Personally responsible for end-to-end mission success (contract award through on-orbit operations and return where applicable) Serve as primary point of contact for customers Own and negotiate ICDs defining all interface requirements between: Customer hardware and Haven space stations Crew transport vehicles Launch providers and ground systems Lead integration of: All tasks necessary to successfully execute a mission including contract deliverables to/from customers, tracking hardware/software readiness, ground and crew operator readiness, and overall execution of Vast Flight Readiness Pressurized payloads and cargo lifecycle Drive risk management, issue resolution, and cross-functional execution Lead integrated master schedule development tied to contractual milestones Coordinate with mission operations, engineering, production, and leadership teams Support Business Development with pre-sales engineering, customer meetings, and contract negotiations Trusted to represent Vast to key external stakeholders and customers Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or technical discipline 8+ years of experience in systems engineering, technical program management, or customer-facing mission execution roles Preferred Skills & Experience: Direct experience with human spaceflight missions (ISS, free flyer, or commercial crew) Familiarity with NASA human spaceflight policies and procedures Working knowledge of crew vehicle systems Experience leading launch integration campaigns ICD negotiation with external stakeholders Additional Requirements: Ability to travel up to 20% of the time Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones Pay Range: California $151,000 — $215,000 USD 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…