Spacecraft Propulsion Components Engineer I

Rocket Lab•Long Beach, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab is seeking a Spacecraft Propulsion Components Engineer I for their propulsion engineering team based out of Long Beach, CA. This role supports the Space Systems division and leads cutting-edge programs for civil, commercial, and defense customers. The engineer will be responsible for system-level and component-level ownership of space systems propulsion and fluidic development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline.
Experience in propulsion system development or other high-performance field.
US citizenship is required, due to program requirements.
Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

A genuine passion for engineering, curious mindset, and willingness to learn.
Detailed mechanical design experience using NX (preferred) or equivalent industry standard CAD software and Product Lifecycle Management software such as Teamcenter (preferred), Windchill, or similar.
Comfortable working with high levels of ambiguity.
Ability to make decisions using basic engineering principles, available literature and standards, technical risk assessments, test data, and physics-based models.
Experience working on propulsion systems utilizing different storable propellants, such as electrical and chemical.
Track record of design reviews and approving release of flight parts, qual reports and decisions for flight hardware.
Practice in identifying the necessary steps to achieve high level technical goals, scheduling them in a plan, and managing delivery against that plan.
Experience developing requirement and verification sets, as well as writing test plans, performing testing, and writing test reports.
Experience with end-to-end development process including gathering requirements, detailed design, qualification, production, and acceptance testing.
Capabilities using Python for data manipulation and post-processing.
Demonstrated hands-on engineering skills, inside or outside the workplace.
Hands-on integration and testing experience (ideally using NI equipment and software).
Experience with GD&T and engineering drawings.
Experience using Product Lifecycle Management software such as Teamcenter (preferred), Windchill, or similar.
Experience using National Instruments data acquisition systems.
Experience with testing and troubleshooting flight hardware.
Master's or PhD in engineering.

Responsibilities

Own development of new or existing products or systems, acting as technical lead to guide team through end-to-end development process.
Conceptual and detailed designs in CAD for propulsion system components, as well as performance calculations and analysis.
Review and approval of others' drawings, 3D PMI, reports, and specifications.
Test planning, setup, instrumentation, execution, and data analysis.
Communicate with project stakeholders internal and external to the team.
Technical risk-based decision making to the right/best solution when faced with an engineering challenge.
Project management including schedule building and maintenance, identifying top priority items, tasking of other engineers and technicians, and communication of status to leadership and other teams.
Mentorship and coaching of people within the team on technical and professional development.
Defining and maintaining standard of excellence for their team through documentation, training, coaching, and review of others’ work.
Contributing to engineering process development and documentation at Rocket Lab related to areas of experience.

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 merchandise
Variety of other employee discounts