Polymer Chemist
Vast
Long Beach, CA, USA
USD 84,200-142,100 / year + Equity
Posted on Jul 11, 2025
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 May 2026. 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 highly skilled Polymer Chemist, reporting to the Senior Materials & Processes Engineer, 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, on-site non-exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
- Conduct research on advanced polymer materials-including composites, coatings, and elastomers- with a focus on chemical stability, thermal decomposition, and outgassing/off-gassing behavior under aerospace-relevant conditions.
- Operate and maintain analytical instrumentation, including SIFT-MS, TGA, FTIR, and TGA-FTIR.
- Calibrate, validate, and optimize performance of analytical instruments; ensure high reliability and data integrity.
- Troubleshoot and resolve equipment issues; liaise with vendors, technical support, stakeholders as needed.
- Develop, refine, and validate methods for evolved gas analysis (EGA) and real-time volatile detection, including off-gas testing protocols using SIFT-MS.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including materials, thermal, and systems engineers, to integrate findings into broader design and testing efforts.
- Ensure compliance with internal quality standards, industry best practices, and regulatory requirements related to materials and chemical analysis.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Polymer Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, or a related field
- 3+ years of industrial or research experience in polymer characterization and analytical method development
- Hands-on experience operating and maintaining TGA, FTIR, GC-MS, HPLC-MS, and SIFT-MS or CIMS instrumentation
- Strong foundation in thermal analysis and gas-phase chemical detection
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Masters degree or PhD in Polymer Chemistry or Analytical Chemistry preferred
- Expertise in SIFT-MS, TGA-FTIR, or TGA-MS data acquisition, method development, and result interpretation
- Advanced knowledge of polymer degradation mechanisms and desorption processes
- Experience validating analytical protocols and conducting method development for off-gassing and thermal stability testing
- Strong data analysis skills, including statistical modeling and use of Design of Experiments (DoE)
- Exceptional problem-solving skills and attention to detail
- Proven ability to communicate complex technical findings clearly, both verbally and in writing
- Experience in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment, ideally in aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated industries
- Experience with identifying and investigating chemical ionization mechanisms (e.g., proton/electron transfer, adduct formation, dissociative electron transfer, hydride association) relevant to polymer off-gassing and degradation.
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 10% of the time
- Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
- Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted
- Specific certifications, as appropriate
Pay Range:
- Polymer Chemist I: $84,280 - $108,780
- Polymer Chemist II: $110,000 - $142,100
Salary Range: California
$84,200—$142,100 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 10 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.
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.
