Packaging Engineer

Long Beach, California, United States

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 August 2025. 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 looking for a(n) Packaging Engineer, reporting to the Space Food Systems 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. 

Responsibilities: 

  • Design and develop packaging solutions for space food products
  • Select appropriate packaging materials based on product requirements, regulatory compliance, and space-specific considerations
  • Conduct testing and validation of packaging materials and systems to ensure they meet performance specifications, including barrier properties, seal integrity, and compatibility with Haven-1 food prep system
  • Implement quality assurance procedures for packaging materials and processes to maintain product integrity and compliance with regulatory standards (e.g., FDA, USDA).
  • Conduct risk assessments related to packaging materials and processes, identifying potential hazards and implementing mitigation strategies to ensure product safety and compliance
  • Optimize packaging processes to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and minimize environmental impact while maintaining product safety and quality
  • Collaborate with suppliers to source packaging materials, negotiate contracts, and ensure consistent quality and supply chain reliability
  • Provide technical support to packaging operations, troubleshooting issues related to equipment, materials, and processes
  • Drive sustainability initiatives related to packaging, including the development of eco-friendly packaging solutions, waste reduction strategies, and life cycle assessments
  • Stay current with regulatory requirements and industry standards related to\ food packaging, ensuring compliance in design, materials, labeling, and documentation
  • Maintain accurate documentation of packaging specifications, test results, and validation reports. Prepare reports and presentations for internal 
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align packaging solutions with product requirements and business goals
  • Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in packaging design, processes, and materials through data analysis, research, and innovation
  • Lead or participate in packaging-related projects from concept development through commercialization, ensuring timelines, budgets, and project goals are met
  • Conduct risk assessments related to packaging materials and processes, identifying potential hazards and implementing mitigation strategies to ensure product safety and compliance
  • Provide training and education to internal teams on packaging best practices, new technologies, regulatory updates, and quality standards

Minimum Qualifications:

  • 3-5 Years minimum of previous experience in a package engineering role
  • Experience with food packaging, flexible pouches, package integrity testing, and packaging equipment
  • Bachelor of Science degree in Packaging, Food Science, Engineering, or a related field

Preferred Skills & Experience:

  • Experience with flexible pouch packaging and food packaging. 
  • Familiar with packaging design impacts on shelf life. 
  • Experience with CAD software and package design. 
  • Ability to create and update request for proposals (RFPs), purchase orders (POs) and facilities work orders in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software 
  • Ability to work effectively in a team environment 
  • Ability to make independent judgments with limited information 
  • Communication skills for relaying data (verbally and in-writing) between other employees, vendors, and customers 
  • Logical and strategic approach to solving problems 
  • Ability to read and understand basic floor plans 
  • Comfortable working in a high-stress environment balancing several projects at any given time, and the flexibility to adjust for abrupt changes in strategic direction

Additional Requirements:

  • Ability to travel up to 50% of the time
  • Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
  • Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted
  • Specific certifications, as appropriate

Salary Range: California

$68,100 - $85,500 USD

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: 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 15 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, free catered meals and snacks and beverages, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks.

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.
 

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.

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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 be considered for deemed export licensing. To assist Vast in assessing its export compliance obligations in relation to your application, please identify which ITAR/EAR status applies to you:

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