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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Experience solving ambiguous, complex backend problems in fast-paced environments.
- Familiarity with DevOps practices and tools (Docker, Kubernetes).
- 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.
- Willingness to work overtime, or weekends to support critical mission milestones.