Senior Spacecraft Propulsion Test Engineer II

Rocket Lab•Long Beach, CA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems. Its Space Systems team develops spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions including interplanetary exploration, in-space manufacturing, and national security and defense. The Senior Spacecraft Propulsion Test Engineer II will be part of the propulsion engineering team based in Long Beach, California. The role plans, prepares for, and executes engine and propulsion component testing, and owns the test facility, equipment, and operations. It supports development, qualification, and production testing, providing test-driven insights to improve product reliability, manufacturability, testability, and performance. The engineer participates in propulsion development from cradle to grave and provides technical leadership, guidance, and training to the team. The position may require prolonged sitting, standing, walking, and computer work, as well as occasional exposure to moderate noise, dust, and fumes in production areas. Travel to test facilities and extended off-site work are required. Compensation includes a stated California base-pay range of $132,000–$220,000 USD, with level and base salary determined case by case. The package also includes company stock and benefits.

Requirements

At least 8 years of experience in rocket engine test engineering or an equivalent high-performance field.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, such as aerospace, mechanical, mechatronics, or another technical engineering discipline.
Ability to travel to test facilities and work off-site for extended periods.
Prior experience working on engine test facilities and conducting hot-fire tests of liquid rocket engines, including instrumentation, test operation, and data analysis.
Expertise in instrumentation, automation, and data acquisition using National Instruments or Beckhoff PLC.

Nice To Haves

Experience with hypergolic propellants, or designing, building, or maintaining flight or ground support equipment systems for hypergolic propellant service.
Interest in establishing a new capability for Rocket Lab and the country.
Strong communication skills and ability to lead a technical project, with understanding of technical project management and systems engineering for managing interfaces and deliverables across teams.
Passion for engineering, strong attention to detail, and eagerness to learn.
Excellent documentation and organization of engineering information, including test plans, reports, and facility configuration management.
Track record of investigating and resolving root causes of testing or flight anomalies.
Understanding of aerospace testing such as random vibration, shock, thermal cycle, thermal vacuum, helium leak, accelerated life, and margined performance testing.
Experience obtaining government approvals through NEPA, permitting, or similar processes for construction, industrial, or test operations.
Ability to use Python for data manipulation and post-processing.
Experience with 1D fluid system modelling.
Master’s or PhD.

Responsibilities

Set and maintain best practices for all aspects of testing and uphold a high standard of excellence across the team.
Provide guidance, training, mentorship, and technical leadership on testing methodologies and processes.
Review and sign off on test plans and reports, ensuring quality and compliance with requirements.
Support engineers and leadership with risk-based decision-making during development challenges.
Own the full testing lifecycle, including planning, setup, instrumentation, execution, data analysis, and reporting.
Apply a systems engineering mindset to testing and integrate activities with broader engineering efforts.
Communicate regularly and effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
Define and document standards of excellence, and train, coach, and review other team members’ work.
Plan, prepare for, and execute engine and propulsion component testing.
Own the test facility, equipment, and test operations.
Support development, qualification, and production testing, contributing insights that improve product reliability, manufacturability, testability, and performance.

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 significant 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.