Manufacturing Development Propulsion Engineer, Neutron

Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab is a vertically integrated provider of small launch services, satellites, and spacecraft components. Our mission is to open access to space to improve life on Earth. Our team is over 1,300 people strong and we’re adding to it every week. Collaboration is at our core – every idea is heard, and everyone makes a difference. Teams are nimble, decisions are made quickly, and we are action oriented.

NEUTRON ROCKET:

Neutron is a medium lift launch vehicle capable of delivering the mega constellations of tomorrow, high assurance payloads, and human spaceflight. As a highly reusable launch platform, Neutron will deliver a highly cost-effective and reliable launch solution leveraging Rocket Lab’s proven execution history with the Electron program. 

LEAD PROPULSION COMPONENTS ENGINEER, NEUTRON:

This role is responsible for leading the team and engineering work for the Archimedes engine components. This role focuses on Archimedes achieving its functional requirements to the required quality and schedule. The Lead Engineer has the scope to direct the team's engineering efforts across and outside the direct team in the best interest of the company. Engineering direction and decisions are solved by the lead providing guidance and resource allocations to the rest of the team. 

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

• Coordinates cross-functional engagement to drive engineering best practices, knowledge sharing, and improvements with global teams
• Consistently identifies the right person to produce the right solution when faced with an engineering challenge
• Able to accurately assess and estimate technical requirements and capacity for projects
• Able to coach basic best practices for multiple technical systems

Project Management

• Can prioritize, manage, and drive multiple projects at the same time
• Gives transparency to the wider business on current status, any blockers and accommodates any discussions which can unlock current or future blockers
• Can unblock other's projects through cross-functional influence and communication skills

Engineering

• Design specification responsibility for existing products or new developments as assigned by management to meet company requirements
• Engineering BOM responsibility and its workflow with applicable software for new products or existing product (for components and assemblies)
• Responsible for the communication of the design for manufacturing purposes including materials, GD&T, and unique design specifications by using drawings and appropriately referenced information/standards
• Responsible for the communication of R&D, qualification and acceptance test requirements of the product by using relevant engineering documents
• Responsible for verification of design meeting company requirements in conjunction with analysis, manufacturing, testing, and Operations Teams.

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:

• 6 years’ industry experience
• Engineering degree
• Experience from previous employment that meets engineering experience title and skills
• Has demonstrated skills within the rocket propulsion industry where applicable to deliver required company outcomes
• Proven track record of leading a team to deliver multiple complete and successful engineering projects from conception to operation
• Experience working in one or more of the areas below to solve industry-related problems applicable to rocket engines:
  • Structural static and/or non-linear analysis
  • Modal and/or frequency domain analysis
  • Computational fluid dynamics analysis
  • Heat transfer or thermal analysis
  • Sensors and instrumentation

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE: 

• Requirements and verification (JAMA)
• EBOM and Workflow (Teamcenter, EPDM, Redmine)
• CAD (NX)
• General design, documentation, and presentation (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Engineering drawings (Solidworks and NX)
• Time recording (Jira)
• Support Production Engineers
  • Quality reporting and management (Redmine)
  • Work instruction peer review (Flame)
• Support Test Engineers
  • Test procedure or data review
• Support Operations Engineers

Important information:

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15) or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S Department of State.

Rocket Lab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment at Rocket Lab, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN NEW ZEALAND OFFICES ONLY:

For security reasons background checks will be undertaken prior to any employment offers being made to an applicant.  These checks will include nationality checks as it is a requirement of this position that you be eligible to access equipment and data regulated by the United States' International Traffic in Arms Regulations. 

Under these Regulations, you may be ineligible for this role if you do not hold citizenship of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the European Union or a country that is part of NATO, or if you hold ineligible dual citizenship or nationality.  For more information on these Regulations, click here ITAR Regulations.