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Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer to lead mechanical formulation of new satellite systems and spacecraft. Based in Long Beach, CA, you will drive the mechanical engineering strategy for business development and new opportunity capture across civil, national security, and commercial missions.
Key responsibilities include leading satellite mechanical engineering formulation; developing high-performance, lightweight satellite bus configurations, structures, and mechanisms; and conceptualizing satellite configurations for science and interplanetary missions. You will define modern satellite mechanisms and deployment systems, develop and maintain mass and mechanical technical budgets, and establish mechanical system requirements and verification techniques.
You will own mechanical technical development from conceptual design through production, test, and operation. This includes structural, mechanism, and packaging analyses using hand calculations and FEA; test methods and data analysis (structural, thermal, vibration); and creation of product definitions through CAD, production drawings, and test/operations procedures. You will also assist with program and product management, including schedules, vendor relationships, and budgets, and collaborate on mechanical interface specifications and CONOPS documentation.
Required qualifications: Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering (or related technical discipline); 5+ years of mechanical engineering experience in aerospace; experience supporting satellite/spacecraft development programs; CAD modeling and drawing proficiency; and US citizenship (program requirement).
Desirable qualifications include active security clearance, advanced degree (Master's/PhD), spacecraft/satellite design experience, rapid conceptual design iteration, satellite deployment systems expertise, mechanism problem-solving skills, FEA and hand-calculation capability, GD&T application, hands-on development and testing experience, and thermal/vibration test data analysis.
