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Salary: USD 80,000 - 100,000 / annual
Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems for missions ranging from interplanetary exploration to national security and defense. The Space Systems team has enabled over 1,700 missions and works with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force.
The Silver Spring, Maryland facility manufactures satellite separation mechanisms. As a Mechanical Engineer II, you will lead development of innovative and complex electromechanical systems from project conception through production implementation on aggressive timelines.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead schedule-aggressive development of innovative space mechanisms from concept through implementation as responsible engineer
- Design mechanisms and structures in CAD and analyze using hand calculations and FEA
- Lead requirements definition, traceability, compliance, verification, and system validation
- Prepare and maintain technical documentation including system design descriptions, CONOPS, and ICDs
- Create and maintain requirements verification matrices and risk management plans
- Support continuous improvements to the development team's engineering approach and best practices
- Generate technical reports and presentations to communicate findings and recommendations to internal stakeholders and external partners
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure proper functionality across system interfaces
- Own development schedules, project milestone reviews, and technical interchange meetings
- Mentor other engineers
- Support business development proposals and custom statements of work
- Support travel or off-site work to suppliers, customers, and other Rocket Lab sites (approximately 10%)
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering field
- 2+ years of experience in aerospace mechanical development projects
- CAD and FEA proficiency
- Thorough understanding of aerospace standards, environments, verification tests, and requirements
- Experience managing complex projects across organizational teams
Desirable qualifications:
- Master's degree in relevant engineering field
- Proficiency in NX CAD and Simcenter FEA software
- Strong task management, communication, and problem-solving skills
- Experience adapting to changing priorities and quickly resolving blockers
Note: This position may require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, and computer work, with occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas. U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency is required due to ITAR regulations.
