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Rocket Lab is seeking a Principal Electric Propulsion Engineer to join the propulsion engineering team in Long Beach, CA. You will own system-level and component-level development of space systems propulsion and fluidic subsystems, serving civil, commercial, and defense customers including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force.
Key responsibilities include: owning development of new or existing propulsion products/systems as technical lead; performing conceptual and detailed performance calculations, systems modeling, and analysis; gathering and managing requirements; leading systems engineering activities; planning and executing tests with data analysis; communicating with internal and external stakeholders; making technical risk-based decisions; managing project schedules and tasking engineers/technicians; mentoring team members on technical and professional development; and maintaining excellence standards through documentation, training, and peer review.
You will bring 12+ years of propulsion system development experience or equivalent in high-performance fields. Required qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, mechatronics, or related engineering discipline; expertise in propulsion system modeling and transient analysis using tools like Amesim, EcosimPro, Simulink, or Simscape; experience with end-to-end development from requirements through production and acceptance testing; strong grasp of Systems Engineering V methodology and risk-based decision making; hands-on experience with electric propulsion systems; U.S. citizenship; and ability to obtain/maintain a security clearance.
Desirable qualifications include passion for engineering with curiosity and learning mindset; comfort with ambiguity; decision-making grounded in engineering principles and physics-based models; experience with Jama, Python for data analysis, NX CAD, GD&T, PLM software (Teamcenter/Windchill), and National Instruments data acquisition systems.
Rocket Lab builds rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems enabling space missions. The Space Systems team has enabled 1,700+ missions ranging from interplanetary exploration to in-space manufacturing and national security initiatives, including missions to the Moon and Mars.
