Vast is looking for a Senior Software Engineer, Backend reporting to the Senior Manager, Software Engineering 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, build, and maintain scalable backend services, tools, and pipelines supporting mission-critical security systems.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to design and implement secure, high-performance services and APIs.
• Develop and maintain backend infrastructure for authentication, authorization, and secure data handling.
• Establish and promote best practices for backend architecture, security, and code quality at scale.
• Build systems that are reliable, observable, and capable of supporting a rapidly growing codebase and engineering team.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• 6+ years of backend software engineering experience, with exposure to security-focused systems (e.g., IAM, API security, certificate management).
• Strong experience building and operating backend services in cloud environments.
• Proficiency in at least one modern programming language (Python, Go, Rust, C++, etc.).
• Solid understanding of distributed systems, API design, and backend architecture.
• Experience working in Linux environments, including command line and scripting.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience solving ambiguous, complex backend problems in fast-paced environments.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices and tools (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience designing and scaling APIs and microservices.
• Background in one or more security domains (e.g., cryptography, network security, infrastructure security).
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across teams.
• Ownership mindset with a bias toward action and continuous improvement.

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time.
• Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
• Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted.
• Specific certifications, as appropriate.

Pay Range: 

• Senior Software Engineer, Backend: $159,000 - $226,000
• Staff Software Engineer, Backend: $188,600 - $267,000