Senior Systems Engineer II - Spacecraft Design

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. The Space Systems team builds everything from complete spacecraft and precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space. The Senior Systems Engineer II – Spacecraft Design, based in Long Beach, CA, is responsible for leading the mechanical formulation of all new satellite systems, including structures, mechanisms, and satellite bus configurations. This role supports business development and new opportunity capture by managing mass and mechanical technical budgets, defining mechanical requirements, conducting configuration trades, planning and executing tests, and overseeing the mechanical systems engineering process, including validation of customer requirements. The position also supports the Vice President of Business Development and Strategy and the broader Space Systems Business Development organization with deliverables for internal leadership, the board of directors, and investors.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering; or other technical discipline
5+ years of engineering experience in the aerospace industry
Experience supporting satellite and/or spacecraft development programs
Experience with CAD modeling and drawing
US citizenship is required, due to program requirements

Nice To Haves

Active security clearance
Master’s or PhD in mechanical or aerospace engineering; or other technical engineering discipline
Spacecraft/satellite design experience
Rapid conceptual design iteration experience
Experience developing satellite deployment systems and mechanisms
Exceptional mechanical mechanism problem-solving skills
Ability to perform hand-calcs and FEA to drive design decisions
Ability to apply GD&T to component designs
Hands-on development and testing experience
Experience with analysis and interpretation of test data (thermal, vibe)
Understanding of key spacecraft subsystems and their interfaces, including attitude determination and control (ADCS), electrical power systems (EPS), space-ground communications, on-orbit command and data handling (C&DH), and thermal control
Thorough understanding of the space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics
Experience with requirement management tools such as JAMA or DOORS
General spacecraft systems engineering knowledge, and experience with requirements assessments and interface control document generation
Ability to take a product from concept through to production with little supervision
Highly self-motivated and able to work autonomously
Highly effective and professional verbal and written communication skills with team and internal/external customers
Ability to work in a dynamic environment with competing priorities

Responsibilities

Lead Rocket Lab’s satellite mechanical engineering formulation supporting business development and new opportunity capture
Develop high performance and lightweight satellite bus configurations, structures, and mechanisms for our customers
Develop concepts and satellite configurations for high value science and interplanetary missions
Define what mechanisms and deployment systems look like on a modern satellite system/bus
Develop and maintain mass and mechanical technical budgets for vehicle performance
Develop and maintain mechanical system requirements and verification techniques
Perform structural, mechanism, and packaging analyses across vehicle functions, including hand-calcs and FEA
Develop and maintain test methods and data analysis (structural, thermal, vibe)
Lead and own the mechanical technical development of spacecraft missions from conceptual design through production, test, and operation
Create and maintain product definition through CAD, production drawings, and test and operations procedures
Assist with program and product management, including development schedules, vendors, and budgets
Develop, in collaboration with team members, mechanical interface specifications, CONOPS definition, and other design documents

Benefits

Company stock as part of your total compensation package
Employee Stock Purchase Program (with a 15% discount on company stock)
Top-tier medical plans (HMO, PPO, and a zero cost HDHP option with a significant HSA company 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 our popular merch store
Variety of other employee discounts