Senior Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer II - Secret Clearance Verified today
About Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, payloads, satellite components, and more. The Electron rocket has delivered over 230 satellites to orbit. Rocket Lab's Space Systems division designs and builds satellites, payloads, and components for NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, the James Webb Space Telescope, and national security customers.
The Role
You will be a Senior Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer II on the propulsion engineering team in Long Beach, CA. You are responsible for system-level and component-level ownership of space systems propulsion and fluidic development, supporting civil, commercial, and defense customer programs.
What You Will Do
- Own development of new or existing propulsion products and systems, acting as technical lead through end-to-end development
- Perform conceptual and detailed performance calculations, systems modelling, analysis, and system design
- Gather, define, and manage requirements
- Lead systems engineering activities and technical decision-making within the team
- Plan, execute, and analyse test campaigns including instrumentation and data analysis
- Communicate with project stakeholders internal and external to the team
- Make technical risk-based decisions on engineering solutions
- Manage project schedules, priorities, team tasking, and status reporting to leadership
- Mentor and coach team members on technical and professional development
- Define and maintain standards of excellence through documentation, training, and review of work
- Contribute to engineering process development and documentation
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, mechatronics, or other technical engineering discipline
- 8+ years of experience in propulsion system development or other high-performance field
- Active Secret clearance with TS/SCI eligibility
- US citizenship required due to program requirements
- Expertise in propulsion system modelling, static and transient analysis, and model validation using software such as Amesim, EcosimPro, Simulink, or Simscape
- Experience with end-to-end development including requirements, detailed design, qualification, production, and acceptance testing
- Experience with all steps in the Systems Engineering V process and risk-based decision making
- Experience with propulsion systems utilizing different storable propellants, including electrical and chemical
Desired Qualifications
- Demonstrated hands-on engineering skills inside or outside the workplace
- Comfortable working with high levels of ambiguity
- Ability to make decisions using engineering principles, literature, standards, risk assessments, test data, and physics-based models
- Experience identifying technical steps to achieve goals, scheduling them, and managing delivery
- Experience with Jama
- Excellent communication skills and strong teamwork ability
- Python capability for data manipulation and post-processing
- Detailed mechanical design experience using NX or equivalent CAD software
- Experience with GD&T and engineering drawings
- Experience with Product Lifecycle Management software such as Teamcenter, Windchill, or similar
- Experience with National Instruments data acquisition systems
- Experience testing and troubleshooting flight hardware
- Master's or PhD in engineering discipline
Compensation and Benefits
Base salary range (California): $132,000 - $198,000 USD, determined based on job-related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.
Benefits include: medical HMO, PPO and 100% company-sponsored HSA option, dental and vision coverage, 3 weeks paid vacation and 5 days sick leave per year, 11 paid holidays, flexible spending accounts, paid parental leave, disability and life insurance, 401(k) with company match, employee stock purchase program, subsidized EV charging, onsite gym, and other perks. Company equity may also be provided. Benefit eligibility varies by employment status.
Working Conditions
This position may involve prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, computer work, and occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.
Export Control Requirements
To comply with US Government space technology export regulations including ITAR, employees must be a US citizen, lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder), refugee, or asylee, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the US Department of State and/or Commerce.