Staff Software Engineer, Mission Software
- Pay
- $188,600 – $267,720 per year
- Location
- Long Beach, CA · On-site
- Job type
- Full-time
- Level
- Senior
- Experience
- 7+ years
- Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Listed
- 30 days ago
Skills & highlights for this role
- ITAR eligibility
- REST API design
- database security
- shell scripting
- GNU/Linux
Also useful
- Git
- cloud application development
Stated benefits & perks
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
Responsibilities
- Develop new and optimize existing software codebases and systems which will be used to test, command, and monitor the Vast family of spacecraft
- Mentor junior ground software engineers to help build a strong and capable team
- Own the lifecycle of software, including rolling out to operations, managing configurations, maintaining and upgrading, and supporting end-users
- Configure and optimize automated testing and deployment systems
- Maintain and upgrade the ground systems that control our test sites and communicate with our spacecraft at the launch site and on orbit
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, or STEM discipline; OR 9+ years of professional experience as a software engineer
- 7+ years experience writing full-stack web applications
- Experience writing and securing REST APIs
- Experience with database design, implementation, and security
Preferred Skills & Experience
- Proficiency using the command line, writing shell scripts, and an understanding of the GNU/Linux operating system
- Experience building applications in the cloud
- Enjoys end-user facing roles for support and interfacing with cross-functional teams
- Ability to work quickly and accurately in fast-paced environment during critical launch and mission operations
- Excellent communicator, both written and verbal
- Familiarity with Git
- Collaborative mindset
- Problem solver with a bias for action
Pay Range
California $188,600—$267,720 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.
U.s. Export Control Compliance Status
The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a "U.S. person" as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.
About Vast
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 in Long 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 a Staff Software Engineer, reporting to the Senior Software Manager, 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.
Equal opportunity and legal notices
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 careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on October 10, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.
How Rolev.ai helps with this application
Rolev.ai is a job search and application tool for US job seekers. For this Staff Software Engineer, Mission Software role at Vast, it shows how your resume fits, tailors your resume to the posting, and prepares the application for you to review.
See how you fit
Openings from employer career sites are ranked against your whole resume—and searchable inside Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor via Rolev.ai MCP.
Tailor without inventing
Every change to your resume is checked against your original. New experience goes in only with your yes—zero fabricated claims.
Draft the full kit
Tailored and Full Match resumes, role-specific cover letters, and answers to employer screening questions are prepared in seconds.
1-Click Extension Autofill
The Chrome extension fills the employer's Greenhouse, Workday, Lever, or Ashby form in 1 click. You review it and press Submit.
Similar roles
All Software Developer jobs- Software DeveloperAccenture Federal Services · Washington, DC · $97.5k – $115k/yr
- Software Developer 803Freedom Technology Solutions Group · Annapolis Junction, MD · $150k – $200k/yr
- Software DeveloperPurvis Systems · Newport, RI
- NASA Human Spaceflight Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software Engineer and Data ScientistCACI · Houston, TX
- Senior Manager Software EngineeringNasdaq · Atlanta, GA
- Software Engineering Supervisor - Test SystemsMoog · Torrance, CA
Common questions
What is the salary for the Staff Software Engineer, Mission Software role at Vast?
The Staff Software Engineer, Mission Software posting at Vast states compensation of $188,600 – $267,720 per year. It is listed as a full-time position. Final pay may depend on location, experience, and interview evaluation on Vast's official career site.
Where is the Staff Software Engineer, Mission Software job at Vast located?
This Staff Software Engineer, Mission Software position at Vast is located in Long Beach, CA (On-site). Always check Vast's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.
What qualifications are required for Staff Software Engineer, Mission Software at Vast?
For the Staff Software Engineer, Mission Software role, Vast highlights 7+ years of relevant experience; a bachelor's degree; experience with REST API design, database security, shell scripting, GNU/Linux. Rolev.ai can score your existing resume against these requirements and show any skill gaps before you apply.
How do I apply for the Staff Software Engineer, Mission Software position at Vast?
This listing links directly to Vast's Greenhouse application page. You can apply directly on Vast's site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the Greenhouse application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.