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Salary: USD 100,800 - 126,000 / annual
Rocket Lab is seeking a Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer II to join the Space Systems division's vehicle design team in Long Beach, CA. This role supports civil, commercial, and defense space missions, with responsibility for developing high-performance, lightweight satellite systems, deployment mechanisms, and bus configurations.
Key responsibilities include:
- Supporting Business Development with proposals and mission concepts
- Designing high-performance satellite systems, mechanisms, and configurations for customers
- Developing concepts for science and interplanetary missions
- Defining mechanisms for modern satellite systems
- Owning component designs from concept through production, test, and operation
- Performing hand calculations and finite element analysis (FEA) to drive design decisions
- Leading component design, manufacturing, and test reviews
- Creating and maintaining product definition through CAD, production drawings, and test/operations procedures
- Managing development schedules, vendors, budgets, and project deliverables
The Space Systems team has enabled over 1,700 missions, including work with NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force on lunar and Martian missions.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, or other engineering discipline
- 2+ years of mechanical engineering experience in aerospace industry
- U.S. citizenship required due to ITAR program requirements
NICE-TO-HAVE QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master's or PhD in aerospace or mechanical engineering
- Active Secret or TS/SCI security clearance
- Spacecraft/satellite design experience
- Rapid conceptual design iteration experience
- Mechanical mechanism problem-solving expertise
- Hands-on development and testing experience
- Thermal and vibration test data analysis experience
- Ability to manage products from concept to production with minimal supervision
- Self-motivated, autonomous work style
- GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) application skills
- Satellite deployment systems development experience
- General spacecraft systems engineering knowledge and experience with requirements assessments and interface control documents
