Senior 3D Concept Artist

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 August 2025. 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.

We are seeking a talented and innovative Senior 3D Concept Artist with a passion for aerospace to join our creative team, reporting to the Industrial Design Manager. In this role, you will work closely with engineers, designers, and visionaries to create compelling and forward-thinking visual concepts for both current and future space stations. Your designs will help shape the aesthetics, functionality, and experience of human habitats in space, from external station exteriors to interior living and working environments.

With a passion for technical knowledge, you will work alongside the industrial design and engineering teams to gather requirements and briefing information, allowing you to properly envision habitats for humanity’s space fairing future.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location. 

Responsibilities: 

• Develop original, futuristic, and functional concept art for space station exteriors and interiors, ensuring designs are both visionary and technically feasible.
• Collaborate with aerospace engineers and other stakeholders to understand the technical constraints and operational requirements of space stations. 
• Generate detailed visual concepts for key elements such as living quarters, research labs, communal areas, docking bays, and other spacecraft infrastructure. 
• Produce polished visuals for marketing and sales purposes 
• Present and refine concepts based on feedback, ensuring alignment with the vision and practical considerations of the space program. 
• Research current aerospace technology, space station design principles, and cutting-edge trends in both space exploration and interior architecture. 
• Contribute to a master 3D file library of assets and concept art visuals to be shared across vendors, team members, and the public. 
• Contribute to the overall design language and aesthetic identity of each project, ensuring a cohesive look across all design elements.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high-quality visual standards

Minimum Qualifications:

•  5-8 years proven experience as a concept artist with a strong portfolio showcasing a variety of designs, preferably from the gaming, film or TV industry.
•  Deep understanding and passion for aerospace, space exploration, or related scientific fields. 
•  Strong grasp of design principles, spatial design, and the unique challenges of operating in microgravity environments. 
•  Proficiency in visual design software such as Photoshop, Blender, 3ds Max, or other 3D modeling and rendering tools. 
•  Ability to produce high-quality artwork and design proposals, from rough sketches to polished designs for marketing purposes. 
•  Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams. 
•  A strong interest in envisioning the future of human habitation in space, from a creative and practical standpoint. 

Preferred Skills & Experience:

•  Experience in designing for large-scale projects, ideally related to aerospace, architecture, or industrial design. 
• Knowledge of space station design, orbital mechanics, and human factors in space environments. 
• Experience with virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) tools for immersive design visualization. 

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
• Ability to lift up to 25lbs unassisted
• Specific certifications, as appropriate

Salary Range: California $120,000—$140,000 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 15 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, free catered meals and snacks and beverages, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks.

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.