About the position
At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. We are building artificial gravity space stations, allowing long-term stays in space without the adverse effects of zero-gravity. Our initial crewed space habitat will be Haven-1, scheduled to be the world's first commercial space station when it launches into low earth orbit in May 2026. 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 seeking a highly skilled and mission-driven Staff Software Assurance Engineer reporting to the Senior Director, Flight Safety & Mission Assurance to join our team and play a pivotal role in ensuring the integrity, safety, and quality of the software systems that power our mission-critical operations. This role serves as the technical authority and independent evaluator of software processes and products across the full system life cycle. You will leverage rigorous analytical methods, advanced tools, and deep domain expertise to assess software quality, mitigate risk, and drive assurance across embedded and enterprise systems. Your work will directly support the safety, security, and reliability of spaceflight and ground-based operations. This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach, CA location.
Responsibilities
- Define, develop, and execute software assurance and safety plans in alignment with industry standards and internal protocols.
- Independently assess adherence to software engineering processes, procedures, and policies across the software development lifecycle.
- Evaluate the adequacy of software quality assurance activities, identifying gaps and recommending corrective actions to ensure conformance.
- Perform rigorous analysis, verification, and validation activities to gather objective evidence of software quality and process fidelity.
- Lead formal reviews and audits of software artifacts including requirements, design, code, test plans, and release documentation.
- Identify and assess risks, findings, and issues; escalate and track them to closure with cross-functional teams.
- Ensure safety-critical and security requirements are thoroughly implemented, verified, and validated.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of software assurance tools, processes, metrics, and reporting systems.
- Mentor and support engineering teams in adopting software assurance best practices and cultivating a culture of quality and accountability.
- Interface with systems engineering, software development, safety, and mission assurance teams to ensure holistic integration of assurance objectives.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- 8+ years of experience in software assurance, software safety, or quality engineering for complex technical systems.
- Strong knowledge of software development processes and standards (e.g., NASA-STD-8739.8, NPR 7150.2, DO-178, ISO 9001, or similar).
- Demonstrated experience with independent software assessments, audits, and evaluations across the lifecycle.
- Proficiency in verification and validation techniques including static analysis, formal methods, and test automation.
- Deep understanding of software risk management, issue reporting, and traceability systems.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey technical findings to diverse audiences.
Nice-to-haves
- Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a relevant field.
- Experience with spaceflight or aerospace systems, especially safety- and mission-critical software.
- Familiarity with NASA software assurance standards (e.g., NPR 7150.2, NASA-STD-8739.8).
- Experience working with IV&V processes in accordance with NASA standards.
- Working knowledge of cybersecurity assurance and secure software lifecycle management.
- Experience leading software assurance programs or initiatives across multi-disciplinary teams.
- Hands-on experience with software assurance tools and metrics platforms.
- Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE), Software Safety Engineer (CSSE), or equivalent credential.
Benefits
- 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
- Flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 10 days of vacation for non-exempt staff.
- Paid parental leave.
- Short and long-term disability insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
- One Medical membership.
- ClassPass credits.
- Personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health.
- Exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized.
