Controls and Automation Engineer II
Vast · Long Beach, CA
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Controls
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 3+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level controls role at Vast (aerospace & defense) in Long Beach, CA. Develop and maintain a data acquisition and controls stack to support a wide range of partnering test teams at the Long Beach site—creating software tools and setting standards for test assets and practices.
- They ask for
- 3+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Automation
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Controls Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $124k–$179k.
Median of the low and high ends of 56 live postings that list pay, out of 109 controls engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 108 other live controls postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (3+ vs 5+)
Typical $124k–$179k, from 54 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Automation 66%
- PLC 47%
- Robotics 43%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 38%
- ✓ Python 33%
- Root cause 20%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Controls team at Vast
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Vast in Long Beach
28 other open roles at this site.
- Avionics System Test Operations Engineer · Production
- Senior Supplier Reliability Engineer · Reliability · Senior
- Supplier Reliability Engineer - Metallic Materials & Processes · Reliability
- Additive Manufacturing Specialist · Manufacturing · Specialist
- Build Reliability Engineer - Avionics · Reliability
- Build Reliability Engineer - Fluid Systems · Reliability
Full description from VastAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Develop and maintain a data acquisition and controls stack to support a wide range of partnering test teams at the Long Beach site—creating software tools and setting standards for test assets and practices.
- ◆Design, implement, and own complex control systems for testing space-rated hardware, with responsibility for both hardware and software components.
- ◆Collaborate across disciplines—including software, thermal, manufacturing, propulsion, ECLSS, and mechanical test teams—to drive robust testing practices, gather upgrade requests, and define new capabilities for the test stack.
- ◆Troubleshoot and debug test assets to resolve issues quickly and ensure optimal test system performance.
Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or other engineering discipline.
- ✓3+ years of applied experience with programmable logic controllers or similar embedded systems.
- ✓Working knowledge of supporting engineering skills (Wire Harnessing, electrical diagrams, signal processing).
Preferred Skills & Experience
- ✓2+ years of experience with TwinCat programming and Beckhoff hardware.
- ✓2+ years of professional experience testing, troubleshooting and debugging mechanical, electrical, and software issues.
- ✓Coding proficiency in one or more languages (Python, C#, C++, JS, ST, etc.)
- ✓Working knowledge of version control (Git, GitLab) and software development.
- ✓Working knowledge of instrumentation selection.
- ✓Familiarity with the processes behind spaceflight testing (ATP/QTP).
- ✓Understanding of industrial communication protocols (EtherCAT, Profinet, etc)
- ✓Understanding of industrial standards (UL508A, NFPA 70, ISO 13849, etc).
Additional
Requirements
- ✓Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
- ✓Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted.
Pay Range: California
$120,540 — $171,100 USD
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.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
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(n) Controls & Automation Engineer II , reporting to the Manager, Controls & Automation , to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of human-rated space stations.
This will be a full-time , exempt position located in our Long Beach location.