Senior Technical Recruiter

Responsibilities

The Senior Technical Recruiter will own the full-cycle recruiting process for the satellite program, partnering with leadership to define hiring needs and execute sourcing strategies. They will manage candidate pipelines, facilitate interview debriefs, and lead offer negotiations to support the company's rapid growth.

Requirements

Candidates must have at least 5 years of full-cycle technical recruiting experience, specifically within hardware or aerospace engineering. A bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is required, along with strong domain knowledge in technical disciplines like avionics, propulsion, or manufacturing.

Skills

• Full-cycle recruiting
• Technical recruiting
• Sourcing strategies
• Candidate pipeline management
• Interview debriefing
• Hardware engineering
• Aerospace engineering
• Thermal systems
• Avionics
• Power systems
• Propulsion
• GNC
• Flight software
• Manufacturing
• Business acumen
• Executive presence

Benefits

• Medical coverage
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage
• Paid time off
• Paid parental leave
• Short-term disability insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• ClassPass credits
• Mental healthcare
• Company equity
• Subsidized lunch
• Free snacks and coffee

About this role

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 Senior Technical Recruiter, reporting to the Manager, Talent Acquisition, to support the growth of Vast Satellite, our new line of high-power satellite buses built on the technology proven by Haven Demo and developed for the Haven space stations. This person will be the dedicated recruiter for the program, hiring across thermal, avionics, power, propulsion, GNC, flight software, and manufacturing.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
Own full-cycle recruiting from intake through offer acceptance across multiple open roles and disciplines, as the sole recruiter supporting the satellite program
Partner with hiring managers and executive leaders to define role requirements, interview plans, headcount priorities, and hiring timelines, and provide candid advice on market conditions
Develop and execute sourcing strategies by discipline to identify and engage top and passive candidates across aerospace, satellite, defense, and advanced hardware
Build working knowledge across technical disciplines to run credible intake conversations, screen candidates, and talk through the work with them
Manage candidate pipelines and drive an efficient and engaging interview process
Facilitate interview debriefs and guide hiring teams through candidate evaluation and decision-making
Lead offer discussions and help close candidates while maintaining a strong candidate experience
Track recruiting metrics, pass-through rates, and pipeline health, and report progress toward hiring goals to leadership
Ensure consistent recruiting processes and documentation within the ATS
Represent Vast’s mission and value proposition to candidates throughout the hiring process
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
5+ years of full-cycle technical recruiting experience, including hardware or aerospace engineering roles
Strong domain knowledge in at least one of the following: thermal, avionics, power, propulsion, GNC, flight software, or manufacturing
Exposure to the other disciplines, or a demonstrated ability to ramp quickly in new technical areas
Experience managing multiple searches simultaneously in a fast-paced environment with limited support
Strong business acumen and executive presence, with experience advising senior leaders
Demonstrated ability to source and engage passive candidates
Preferred Experience
We are particularly interested in candidates with recruiting experience across several of the following areas:
Avionics, Electrical Engineering, Thermal Controls, Power Systems, Propulsion, GNC, Software, and Structures
Manufacturing and production engineering
Hardware engineering roles including mechanical, electrical, design, and structural
Additional Preferred Experience:
Experience in space, satellite, defense, or other regulated hardware industries
Experience using Greenhouse or similar ATS
Ability to operate autonomously and manage competing priorities
Strong attention to detail and process discipline
Experience supporting a program through rapid scale-up, or working in high-growth or fast-scaling organizations

Pay Range: California
$122,000—$165,000 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, ...

About Vast

Defense and Space Manufacturing · 501-1,000 employees · headquartered in Long Beach, California · founded 2021