Process Control Engineer Jobs in California
Process Control Engineer jobs in California are in strong demand, with hiring concentrated in the oil and gas, chemical processing, semiconductor manufacturing, and food and beverage industries at levels from entry-level instrumentation roles through senior systems engineers. The most active hiring metros are the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and the Central Valley, where major employers such as Chevron, Intel, and Valero Energy maintain significant operations. Distributed control systems, SCADA programming, and functional safety engineering are the specialties California employers pursue most consistently. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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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 Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Thermal Control Systems (TCS), reporting to the Manager, Structures & Fluids Manufacturing, to lead the team responsible for the development, production, and integration of thermal control hardware for artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
- Lead the TCS manufacturing engineering team day to day: set priorities, assign ownership, run team rhythms, and mentor engineers
- Participate in hiring and onboarding new engineers to the team
- Own manufacturing development, production readiness, and build execution for TCS hardware, including pumps, fluid loops, coldplates, heaters, and tubing, while staying hands-on with your own hardware
- Own the TCS manufacturing schedule and build sequencing across concurrent vehicle builds
- Report hardware status, risks, and mitigation plans to program leadership, including a regular company-wide TCS hardware status update
- Partner with design engineering to drive design for manufacturing and assembly and production readiness from early design trades through flight hardware
- Drive development and qualification of special processes including welding, brazing, tube bending, cleaning, passivation, leak testing, and pressure testing
- Set standards for work instructions, inspection plans, and nonconformance disposition; drive root cause and corrective action to closure
- Work with technicians, quality, supply chain, test, integration, and M&P teams to ensure successful system integration
- Support supplier development and manufacturing readiness for externally produced components and assemblies
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering or science discipline
- 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, production engineering, or hardware development for fluid, thermal, environmental control, or life support systems
- 3+ years of hands-on hardware experience supporting fabrication, assembly, integration, and/or testing
- Experience developing manufacturing processes, work instructions, build plans, or production documentation for complex hardware
- Experience mentoring engineers or leading a workstream, build, or small team (formal people management experience not required)
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Master's degree in an engineering discipline
- Experience as a technical lead, project lead, or informal team lead on hardware programs
- Experience participating in hiring and interviewing engineers
- Strong interest in developing into a people manager
- Experience supporting production or build execution for aerospace, spacecraft, propulsion, ECLSS, thermal, fluid, or other high-reliability hardware
- Strong experience with design for manufacturing and assembly, production readiness, process development, and manufacturing risk reduction
- Proactive problem-solving skills, including failure analysis, root cause investigation, corrective action implementation, and design of experiments
- Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals to make clear recommendations with partial information
- Experience with rotating machinery, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, coldplates, pressure vessels, fans, separators, or other fluid system components
- Experience with soft goods, flexible ducting, seals, insulation, or other non-metallic flight hardware
- Solid understanding and application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, tolerance stack-up analysis, and inspection planning
- Experience with structural analysis methods, including hand calculations, FEMAP, or ANSYS, to evaluate manufacturability, strength, life, and fracture considerations
- Knowledge of metallic and fluid system manufacturing techniques, processes, equipment, and special processes, including machining, welding, brazing, tube bending, cleaning, passivation, leak testing, proof testing, and pressure testing
- Experience working directly with technicians on the shop floor to troubleshoot builds, improve processes, and execute hardware efficiently
- Ability to work well in an integrated, collaborative team environment, including frequent interaction with technicians, engineers, quality, supply chain, and managers
- Highly self-motivated with strong organizational and written/oral communication skills; able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment with an ongoing drive for continuous improvement
We calibrate level and compensation to the selected candidate's experience and demonstrated capability. We welcome applicants across a range of experience levels to apply.
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: medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, 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 & onsite barista, 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.
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 Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Thermal Control Systems (TCS), reporting to the Manager, Structures & Fluids Manufacturing, to lead the team responsible for the development, production, and integration of thermal control hardware for artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
- Lead the TCS manufacturing engineering team day to day: set priorities, assign ownership, run team rhythms, and mentor engineers
- Participate in hiring and onboarding new engineers to the team
- Own manufacturing development, production readiness, and build execution for TCS hardware, including pumps, fluid loops, coldplates, heaters, and tubing, while staying hands-on with your own hardware
- Own the TCS manufacturing schedule and build sequencing across concurrent vehicle builds
- Report hardware status, risks, and mitigation plans to program leadership, including a regular company-wide TCS hardware status update
- Partner with design engineering to drive design for manufacturing and assembly and production readiness from early design trades through flight hardware
- Drive development and qualification of special processes including welding, brazing, tube bending, cleaning, passivation, leak testing, and pressure testing
- Set standards for work instructions, inspection plans, and nonconformance disposition; drive root cause and corrective action to closure
- Work with technicians, quality, supply chain, test, integration, and M&P teams to ensure successful system integration
- Support supplier development and manufacturing readiness for externally produced components and assemblies
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering or science discipline
- 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, production engineering, or hardware development for fluid, thermal, environmental control, or life support systems
- 3+ years of hands-on hardware experience supporting fabrication, assembly, integration, and/or testing
- Experience developing manufacturing processes, work instructions, build plans, or production documentation for complex hardware
- Experience mentoring engineers or leading a workstream, build, or small team (formal people management experience not required)
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Master's degree in an engineering discipline
- Experience as a technical lead, project lead, or informal team lead on hardware programs
- Experience participating in hiring and interviewing engineers
- Strong interest in developing into a people manager
- Experience supporting production or build execution for aerospace, spacecraft, propulsion, ECLSS, thermal, fluid, or other high-reliability hardware
- Strong experience with design for manufacturing and assembly, production readiness, process development, and manufacturing risk reduction
- Proactive problem-solving skills, including failure analysis, root cause investigation, corrective action implementation, and design of experiments
- Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals to make clear recommendations with partial information
- Experience with rotating machinery, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, coldplates, pressure vessels, fans, separators, or other fluid system components
- Experience with soft goods, flexible ducting, seals, insulation, or other non-metallic flight hardware
- Solid understanding and application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, tolerance stack-up analysis, and inspection planning
- Experience with structural analysis methods, including hand calculations, FEMAP, or ANSYS, to evaluate manufacturability, strength, life, and fracture considerations
- Knowledge of metallic and fluid system manufacturing techniques, processes, equipment, and special processes, including machining, welding, brazing, tube bending, cleaning, passivation, leak testing, proof testing, and pressure testing
- Experience working directly with technicians on the shop floor to troubleshoot builds, improve processes, and execute hardware efficiently
- Ability to work well in an integrated, collaborative team environment, including frequent interaction with technicians, engineers, quality, supply chain, and managers
- Highly self-motivated with strong organizational and written/oral communication skills; able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment with an ongoing drive for continuous improvement
We calibrate level and compensation to the selected candidate's experience and demonstrated capability. We welcome applicants across a range of experience levels to apply.
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: medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, 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 & onsite barista, 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.
See All 13 Process Control Engineer Jobs in California
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Find Process Control Engineer JobsProcess Control Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Process Control Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Manufacturing
- Aerospace & Defense
- Mining & Natural Resources
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in process control engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in chemical, electrical, or systems engineering from an accredited California institution or equivalent
- Hands-on experience with DCS and SCADA platforms such as Honeywell Experion, Emerson DeltaV, or Wonderware
- Proficiency in PLC programming using IEC 61131-3 languages including ladder logic and structured text
- Familiarity with California process industry safety standards including OSHA PSM and Cal/OSHA Title 8 requirements
- Experience with instrumentation selection, loop tuning, and P&ID interpretation in refinery or manufacturing environments
- Professional Engineer licensure through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists preferred for senior roles
Process Control Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a process control engineer in California?
Most process control engineers in California start with a bachelor's degree in chemical, electrical, or systems engineering, then build field experience in DCS and SCADA systems. Senior and consulting roles often require a Professional Engineer license issued by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, which involves passing the Fundamentals of Engineering and Principles and Practice of Engineering exams. Certifications in functional safety such as TÜV Functional Safety Engineer are increasingly valued in California's refinery and chemical sectors.
Which companies hire process control engineers in California?
Employers hiring process control engineers in California right now include Blue Origin, MP Materials, and Avid Bioservices, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. California's concentration of petroleum refining, semiconductor fabrication, and large-scale food processing plants means hiring is consistent across both heavy industry and high-tech manufacturing sectors throughout the state.
Which California cities have the most process control engineer jobs?
The cities with the most process control engineer openings in California are Tustin, Long Beach, and Mountain Pass. The Bay Area draws demand from semiconductor and advanced manufacturing firms, the greater Los Angeles area is anchored by petroleum refining and aerospace systems, and the Central Valley concentration reflects the region's large-scale food processing and agricultural automation facilities.
Are there remote process control engineer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Process control engineering is fundamentally a hands-on discipline requiring on-site access to control systems, instrumentation, and plant infrastructure, so fully remote roles are uncommon. About 0% of process control engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, and those that are tend to be limited to the design, simulation, and documentation phases of project work rather than operations or commissioning roles.
How can I get hired as a process control engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an instrumentation or controls technician role, which California refineries and chemical plants in the Bay Area and Los Angeles Basin hire for without requiring prior engineering experience. Large California employers such as Chevron and Valero run structured apprenticeship and new-graduate rotational programs that move candidates into process control engineering tracks. Building hands-on skills with Emerson or Honeywell simulation environments and earning a Fundamentals of Engineering certificate through the California Board strengthens a junior candidate's profile considerably.
Where can I find and apply to process control engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to process control engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Search the listings for roles that match your experience level and target industry, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 13 Process Control Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Process Control Engineer Jobs