Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer I
About The Position
Rocket Lab is seeking a Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer I for its propulsion engineering team in Long Beach, California. The role has system-level and component-level ownership of spacecraft propulsion and fluidic development. The team supports the Space Systems division and works on programs for civil, commercial, and defense customers. The engineer owns the end-to-end development of new or existing products and systems, serving as a technical lead. Work includes propulsion component design, performance analysis, design and document reviews, testing, stakeholder communication, technical decision-making, and project management. The role also includes mentoring teammates, maintaining team standards, and contributing to engineering processes and documentation.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline.
- Experience in propulsion system development or another high-performance field.
- U.S. citizenship is required due to program requirements.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
Nice To Haves
- Genuine passion for engineering, a curious mindset, and willingness to learn.
- Detailed mechanical design experience using NX or equivalent industry-standard CAD software.
- Experience with Product Lifecycle Management software such as Teamcenter, Windchill, or similar.
- Comfort working with high levels of ambiguity.
- Ability to make decisions using engineering principles, literature and standards, technical risk assessments, test data, and physics-based models.
- Experience with propulsion systems using different storable propellants, including electrical and chemical systems.
- Track record of design reviews and approving flight-part releases, qualification reports, and flight-hardware decisions.
- Experience identifying steps to achieve technical goals, scheduling them in a plan, and managing delivery against the plan.
- Experience developing requirements and verification sets, writing test plans and reports, and performing testing.
- Experience with end-to-end development, including requirements gathering, detailed design, qualification, production, and acceptance testing.
- Ability to use 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 National Instruments equipment and software.
- Experience with GD&T and engineering drawings.
- Experience using National Instruments data acquisition systems.
- Experience testing and troubleshooting flight hardware.
- Master’s or Ph.D. in engineering.
Responsibilities
- Own the development of new or existing products and systems and guide the team through the end-to-end development process as technical lead.
- Create conceptual and detailed CAD designs for propulsion system components and perform performance calculations and analysis.
- Review and approve drawings, 3D PMI, reports, and specifications.
- Plan, set up, instrument, execute, and analyze tests.
- Communicate with internal and external project stakeholders.
- Make technical decisions based on risk to identify appropriate solutions to engineering challenges.
- Manage projects by building and maintaining schedules, prioritizing work, assigning tasks to engineers and technicians, and communicating status to leadership and other teams.
- Mentor and coach team members in technical and professional development.
- Define and maintain team standards through documentation, training, coaching, and review of others’ work.
- Contribute to Rocket Lab engineering process development and documentation in areas of experience.
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.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
