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Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems. The company operates the Electron rocket, the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually, and is developing Neutron, a medium-lift reusable launch vehicle. Rocket Lab's Space Systems business designs and manufactures satellites, payloads, and components for NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as components for the James Webb Space Telescope.
As a Senior Manufacturing Engineer specializing in Assembly, Integration, and Test (AIT), you will ensure successful production, assembly, and testing of Rocket Lab's spacecraft. This role requires deep manufacturing engineering expertise, hands-on experience with complex systems, and strong problem-solving skills.
Key responsibilities include:
- Prepare feasibility studies and conduct manufacturing R&D projects
- Partner with Design Engineering to incorporate Design for Manufacture principles, ensuring robustness and scalability
- Design, procure, install, and validate assembly, test, and verification processes
- Support development builds to identify early learnings and accelerate production ramp-up
- Own production lines, removing blockers, improving yield, and increasing build efficiency
- Diagnose failures, conduct technical investigations, and implement root cause resolutions with risk mitigation
- Collaborate cross-functionally to resolve complex technical issues
- Drive process improvements across manufacturing, test, and integration
- Manage change control, assessing risk and impact of design or process modifications
- Support business system improvements to enhance organizational effectiveness
The role is offered at two levels: Senior Manufacturing Engineer I (5+ years experience) or Senior Manufacturing Engineer II (8+ years experience). Both require a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field, strong understanding of manufacturing processes and equipment, and proficiency in CAD software (SolidWorks, NX, CATIA) and PLM systems. Aerospace or automotive industry experience is preferred. A Master's degree is a nice-to-have.
