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Salary: USD 82,000 - 123,000 / annual
Rocket Lab is seeking a Spacecraft Propulsion Components Engineer I to join the propulsion engineering team in Long Beach, CA. This role focuses on system-level and component-level ownership of space systems propulsion and fluidic development, supporting the Space Systems division on cutting-edge programs for civil, commercial, and defense customers.
In this position, you will own the development of new or existing propulsion products and systems, acting as a technical lead to guide the team through the end-to-end development process. Key responsibilities include:
- Conceptual and detailed mechanical design in CAD for propulsion system components, including performance calculations and analysis
- Review and approval of engineering drawings, 3D PMI, reports, and specifications
- Test planning, setup, instrumentation, execution, and data analysis
- Stakeholder communication with internal and external partners
- Technical risk-based decision-making to identify optimal engineering solutions
- Project management including schedule building, priority identification, tasking of engineers and technicians, and status communication to leadership
- Mentorship and coaching of team members on technical and professional development
- Defining and maintaining standards of excellence through documentation, training, and review of others' work
- Contributing to engineering process development and documentation
Rocket Lab's Space Systems team has enabled over 1,700 missions, ranging from interplanetary exploration and in-space manufacturing to national security and defense initiatives. The team has built spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions to the Moon and Mars, working with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force.
QUALIFICATIONS (Required):
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
- Experience in propulsion system development or other high-performance field
- US citizenship (required due to program requirements and ITAR regulations)
- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
QUALIFICATIONS (Preferred):
- Genuine passion for engineering with a curious mindset and willingness to learn
- Detailed mechanical design experience using NX (preferred) or equivalent CAD software (e.g., Solidworks, CATIA)
- Experience with Product Lifecycle Management software such as Teamcenter (preferred), Windchill, or similar
- Comfort working with high levels of ambiguity
- Ability to make decisions using engineering principles, technical literature, standards, risk assessments, test data, and physics-based models
- Experience with propulsion systems utilizing different storable propellants (electrical and chemical)
- Track record of design reviews and approving release of flight parts, qualification reports, and flight hardware decisions
- Project planning and management skills with ability to schedule and deliver against plans
- Experience developing requirements and verification sets, writing test plans, performing testing, and writing test reports
- End-to-end development process experience including requirements gathering, detailed design, qualification, production, and acceptance testing
- Python proficiency for data manipulation and post-processing
- Demonstrated hands-on engineering skills inside or outside the workplace
- Hands-on integration and testing experience (ideally with National Instruments equipment and software)
- GD&T and engineering drawing experience
- Experience testing and troubleshooting flight hardware
- Master's or PhD in engineering
