Senior Software Engineer, Mission Software
How this pay compares
This posting states $160k–$227k a year. Open software engineer jobs in California post a median of $180k a year, the middle half $155k–$212k, across 449 jobs that state their pay, so this one is within the middle half of what they post.
About the job
Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental, hardware-rich, and low-cost approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station 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.
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 in 2027, followed by additional Haven modules.
Additionally, the company recently announced Vast Satellite, a high-power satellite product line leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo. Headquartered inLong Beach, California, and with more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, Vast has built the facilities required to manufacture and operate America’s next space station.
The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for the Moon and Mars, dedicated space stations for government partners, and other crewed systems that will unlock the expanding long-term space economy.
Vast is looking for Senior Software Engineer, Mission Software, reporting to Senior Manager, Mission Software, 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 Long Beach location.
As a software engineer on our growing team, you'll have an opportunity to learn and grow under the mentorship of seasoned engineers from aerospace and big tech, building powerful software that helps expand humanity into space. ## Responsibilities: - Work with team to design and implement web applications using modern frontends and application servers, that consume apis and micro-services in a heterogeneous environment - Work with team to design and implement backends including data modeling, apis, and supporting pipelines - Rapidly iterate on tooling and design new applications as the company grows - Influence and adopt software practices and patterns that will scale to what will eventually become a very large codebase and team ## Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in computer science, math, or other engineering discipline - 6+ years of software development or relevant industry experience - Experience building, shipping, and supporting complex, data-intensive full-stack software applications ## Preferred Skills & Experience - Experience working on ambiguous problems - Production DevOps experience (Docker and K8s preferred) - Experience working with multiple programming languages - Experience working with time series data and databases - Experience with CAD software and the hardware engineering processes - Experience with API design - Experience with one or more of the following platforms and frameworks - React, Vue or similar - NextJS - GraphQL - Nodejs - OAuth - Terraform - PostgreSQL, MySQL, or SQL Server Pay Range: California $160,000 - $227,000 USD 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.
From Vast's job posting, checked 7 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.
Selected agencies hiring now
Contract Professionals Inc (CPI)Engineering and technical staffing agency
Aerospace and defense staffing firm in Waterford, Michigan, placing engineers, maintenance technicians, mechanics, welders and CNC machinists.
Places: Propulsion, Mechanical, Avionics, RF & Payloads
Moseley Technical ServicesEngineering and technical staffing agency
Engineering and technical staffing firm in Huntsville, Alabama, placing engineers and A&P, sheet metal, CNC and quality technicians.
Places: Propulsion, Mechanical, Avionics, RF & Payloads
These agencies and apps pay SpaceJobs.Now a referral fee when someone we introduce is placed or signs up. It costs you nothing and never changes your pay. Employers' own jobs below keep their own order.
Sponsored jobs from job networks, which pay SpaceJobs.Now when you click one.
Free tools for this application: check your resume against this job, answer the application's questions or see every free tool.
New flight software and GNC jobs in California, by email
One email a week with the newest ones, straight from the employers' own careers sites, with the pay each posting states. Free, stop anytime.
About Vast
Developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure.
Pay on its listings: 97.5% of its open jobs state an hourly rate
How it pays: Paid as an employee on Vast's own payroll (salaried or hourly, as each posting states).
More open jobs at Vast
- Communications Associate$33–$55/hr
- Associate General Counsel
- Manufacturing Engineering, Thermal Control$86,100–$195,552/yr
- Senior Manager, Spacecraft Systems$170,000–$242,000/yr
- Components Engineer$112,340–$230,000/yr
- Deburr Technician$19–$43/hr
More flight software and GNC jobs
- Software Development Engineer, Amazon Leo, Embedded Platform$165,200–$223,600/yr
- Design Authority Solution Logiciel (Logiciel embarqué / Bancs de test / Simulateurs) - F/H
- Senior Embedded Software Engineer$140,500–$221,500/yr
- Senior Software Engineer (Lead) - Terminal Software$168,000–$265,000/yr
- Embedded Flight Software Engineer 2
- GNC Engineer (Dragon)$125,000–$195,000/yr
Written flight software or GNC?
One profile for every employer here. Space companies and their recruiters ask us for people with a specific degree, clearance, specialty or location: add yours once, and when a job fits, we introduce you, only with your yes. Free.
Vast openings, sent to you weekly
Each week we send the newest postings from Vast's own careers site, along with similar openings at other space employers. It costs nothing and you can stop anytime.