Lead Manufacturing Engineer - Avionics & Test

Rocket Lab•Long Beach, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab is seeking a Lead Manufacturing Engineer for Avionics & Test, based at its headquarters in Long Beach, California. The role is responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining manufacturing processes for avionics components and assemblies used across company programs. The engineer supports the Senior Manufacturing Engineering Manager for Avionics and Space Systems, as well as Production, Test, and Design organizations, and prepares deliverables for internal leadership, the board of directors, and investors. This is a hands-on technical and people-leadership role focused on building and improving manufacturing capability. It involves developing engineers, guiding product introduction and revisions, designing production cells and factory layouts, selecting and commissioning equipment, supporting design reviews, leading structured investigations, and driving continuous improvement. The position may involve prolonged sitting, standing, walking, and computer work, with occasional exposure to moderate noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering; Electrical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or Mechanical Engineering is preferred.
At least 5 years of experience in a manufacturing environment.
Personnel leadership experience.
Strong working knowledge of EEE piece parts, PCB, PCBA, electromechanical assembly, tooling, test, and quality techniques.
Extensive experience applying fundamentals of electronic circuits, design principles, and manufacturing techniques to solve component issues in a fast-paced environment.

Nice To Haves

Advanced engineering degree; Electrical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or Mechanical Engineering is preferred.
At least 8 years of experience in a manufacturing environment.
Working experience with environmental acceptance or production acceptance testing, such as vibration, shock, thermal, and vacuum testing.
Understanding of instrumentation, interfaces, and sensors, including power supplies, oscilloscopes, serial devices, switch topologies, accelerometers, thermocouples, RTDs, and 4–20 mA sensors.
Experience designing, implementing, and supporting a production line and/or build area.
Experience transitioning products from design to production as part of a cross-functional team in a fast-paced, iterative design environment.
Demonstrated experience with DFMEA, PFMEA, Fault Tree Analysis, Pareto analysis, and root cause and corrective action.

Responsibilities

Coach, mentor, and develop engineers, and conduct weekly, quarterly, and yearly reviews with direct employees.
Interview and hire candidates for new roles.
Create team goals and metrics to drive continuous improvement projects.
Lead and organize meetings as needed to drive project completion.
Contribute manufacturing expertise to design reviews, including design for manufacture, design for test, productivity, supplier capability assessments, and quality control.
Oversee the introduction and implementation of new products and product revisions.
Perform initial value stream mapping exercises, develop methods of manufacture, and plan production cells.
Define and implement factory layouts, equipment selection, factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, and production commissioning.
Justify capital and facilities projects, and manage and implement them.
Lead problem containment and structured root cause and corrective action investigations.
Lead continuous improvement in the assigned area using lean tools and techniques such as 5S.

Benefits

Company stock as part of total compensation.
Employee Stock Purchase Program with a 15% discount on company stock.
Medical plans, including HMO, PPO, and a zero-cost HDHP option with a company HSA contribution.
Dental and vision coverage.
Paid vacation and sick time.
11 paid holidays.
Flexible spending and dependent care accounts.
Paid parental leave.
Disability and life insurance.
401(k) retirement plan with company match.
Subsidized EV charging.
Onsite fitness centers where available.
Discounted gym memberships.
Complimentary snacks and beverages.
50% employee discount on the company merchandise store.
Other employee discounts.