Senior Manager, Loads & Dynamics

Vast is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Senior Manager, Dynamics, reporting to the Senior Director of Structures & Dynamics, to lead the development, analysis, and verification of dynamic systems supporting next-generation human-rated space stations and spacecraft. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise in spacecraft or launch vehicle dynamics, strong leadership capabilities, and experience guiding engineering teams through the full hardware development lifecycle in fast-paced aerospace environments.

This will be a full-time, non-exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary Dynamics engineering team responsible for low- and high-frequency loads and environment predictions for spacecraft systems and hardware during transportation, ascent, docking, and on-orbit operations.
• Drive execution across the full product lifecycle, including concept development, requirements definition, analysis, testing, verification, qualification, and flight support activities.
• Develop and maintain system-level dynamic models, load cases, and environments to support spacecraft design, integration, and operations.
• Derive internal loads and environmental requirements from system-level requirements, including quasi-static, random vibration, shock, and acoustic environments.
• Support product teams with vibration and shock requirement tailoring, test planning, and qualification verification activities.
• Build, maintain, correlate, and improve finite element and dynamic prediction models using gathered test data and flight-representative environments.
• Develop post-processing tools and methodologies for dynamic analyses, test data reduction, and high-speed data processing.
• Assess vendor and supplier hardware capabilities against internally generated dynamic predictions and qualification requirements.
• Partner closely with Structures, Propulsion, Thermal, Avionics, GNC, Manufacturing, Test, and Systems Engineering teams to ensure integrated vehicle performance and successful hardware delivery.
• Lead technical reviews, design trades, failure investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action efforts related to dynamic environments and structural performance.
• Support and oversee spacecraft qualification activities, including vibration, modal, acoustic, and shock testing campaigns.
• Establish team priorities, staffing plans, technical roadmaps, and resource strategies aligned with company objectives and program milestones.
• Provide technical leadership and risk management support to ensure system performance, reliability, safety, and compliance with aerospace standards and verification requirements.
• Mentor and develop engineers across varying levels, fostering a culture of accountability, technical rigor, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive process improvements that enhance modeling accuracy, analysis efficiency, product quality, and program execution performance.
• Coordinate with external suppliers, contractors, and test facilities to support development and qualification activities.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of engineering experience in aerospace or other safety-critical industries.
• 2+ years of technical leadership or engineering management experience.
• Experience performing loads and environments prediction, structural dynamics, vibration, acoustic, shock, or coupled systems analyses for aerospace hardware or vehicle systems.
• Strong understanding of structural dynamics fundamentals, finite element methods, and systems integration principles.
• Experience supporting hardware development through multiple phases of the product lifecycle, including qualification and testing.
• Proficiency with industry-standard analysis tools such as FEMAP/NASTRAN, ANSYS, Abaqus, or equivalent.
• Experience working in cross-functional engineering and manufacturing environments.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience leading Dynamics or Loads teams responsible for spacecraft, launch vehicles, or other flight-critical systems.
• Proven success supporting complex aerospace programs from concept through qualification, integration, launch, and operations.
• Expertise in modal analysis, quasi-static loads, random vibration, sine vibration, shock, acoustic environments, and transient dynamic response analysis.
• Hands-on experience supporting vibration, acoustic, shock, or modal testing campaigns in laboratory or production environments.
• Experience developing and correlating finite element models using test and flight data.
• Familiarity with coupled loads analysis (CLA), spacecraft dynamic environments, and launch vehicle integration requirements.
• Working knowledge of spacecraft launch load environments and industry standards such as SMC-S-016, GSFC-STD-7000A, and MIL-STD-810.
• Ability to communicate structural dynamic concepts clearly across multidisciplinary engineering organizations.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and root cause investigation skills.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and collaboration skills.
• Experience working in fast-paced development and manufacturing environments.
• Passion for advancing the future of human spaceflight and space habitation.