Quality Engineer II

Rocket Lab Corporation•Tucson, AZ

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab’s Optical Systems division solves mission-critical space domain and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) challenges for Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) customers. Our vision is to revolutionize the space-based payload market with innovative and novel designs for space, terrestrial, and airborne environments. Building on more than 20 years of electro-optical and infrared systems innovation from Geost, Optical Systems delivers solutions to the warfighter for responsive, scalable sensing solutions across all orbital domains. As a Quality Engineer II based at our Optical Systems site in Tucson, AZ, you will support the development and production of advanced optical payloads and systems for space and ISR missions. In this role, you will work closely with Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, and Program teams to ensure products meet customer, regulatory, and internal quality requirements throughout the product lifecycle. Join a driven team of pioneers relentlessly tackling challenging projects, delivering on the impossible, and making an impact on the future of space!

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering
2+ years of experience as a Quality Engineer within a manufacturing environment
Experience working within a Quality Management System; AS9100 experience strongly preferred
Strong working knowledge of NCRs, CAPA, MRB/FRB, ESD, and FOD controls
Experience with inspection and test activities, metrology, and calibration systems
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, including GD&T
Experience analyzing quality data and presenting metrics using tools such as Power BI, Power Apps, Excel, or similar data visualization platforms
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting spaceflight hardware or optical/electro-optical systems
ASQ Quality Engineer or Quality Technician certification
Experience working with suppliers and subcontractors in a regulated environment
Familiarity with aerospace customer audits and government contracts
Experience developing or enhancing Power Apps workflows and Power BI dashboards for quality or manufacturing metrics
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and root cause analysis skills
Ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, production, supply chain, and program teams
Active U.S. Government security clearance

Responsibilities

Develop and execute inspection methods to verify product quality and workmanship
Ensure products comply with internal procedures, customer requirements, and industry standards such as AS9100
Investigate products and process nonconformances and lead root cause analysis and corrective actions
Generate, manage, and close Nonconformance Reports (NCRs), Corrective Action Reports, and support MRB/FRB activities
Provide quality training and guidance to production and engineering teams on workmanship standards, procedures, ESD, and FOD
Coordinate and document calibration activities and maintain metrology controls
Support and maintain compliance with ESD and FOD programs across production and integration areas
Perform inspections, review inspection data, and document results and findings
Collect, analyze, and trend quality data using digital tools such as Power Apps and Power BI to support data-driven decision making
Develop and maintain dashboards and reports to monitor quality metrics, nonconformance trends, corrective action effectiveness, and process performance
Participate in internal, customer, and third-party quality audits as required
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to improve efficiency, quality, and repeatability of processes
The Quality Engineer will support, analyze, and report on quality performance using data-driven metrics
Travel as required to support test campaigns, supplier activities, audits, source inspections, and program milestones
Perform other duties as assigned in support of quality, compliance, and program execution