Production Manager, Machining

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations 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. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. 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, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. 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 Production Manager of Machining, reporting to the Director of Machining Operations, 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: 

• Own execution of daily machining production across CNC machine shop work centers, delivering precision components safely, on schedule, and to quality standards.


• Lead machinists, technicians, and supervisors to hit aggressive throughput and delivery targets.


• Rapidly identify machining constraints (tooling, programming, machine availability, inspection) and drive resolution with Manufacturing Engineering and CNC programming.


• Drive improvements in cycle time, setup efficiency, machine utilization, and scrap reduction.


• Maintain clear production visibility, escalate blockers quickly, and execute recovery plans to protect program milestones.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in aerospace, automotive, or other high-complexity precision machining environments.


• 2+ years leading machinists or production teams in a CNC machine shop.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience working cross-functionally with Manufacturing Engineering, CNC programming, and inspection teams.


• Experience with CNC milling, turning, and multi-axis machining in high-precision environments.


• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing principles and PFMEA.


• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and production planning.


• Experience scaling from development to higher-rate production.


• Strong understanding of GD&T, machining tolerances, and inspection requirements for precision hardware.


• Experience improving machine utilization, setup reduction, and tooling readiness.

Additional Requirements:

• Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones.


•  Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY