Lead Engineer, Space Vehicle Structures & Systems

Rocket Lab Corporation; Auckland; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab is seeking a Team Lead for Electron Vehicle Development in Auckland, NZ. You will lead a team of Vehicle Development Engineers, delivering vehicle systems projects across structures, mechanisms, and fluids, while ensuring quality, timeliness, and robust engineering rigor.

You'll act as SME and quality approver for engineering changes, guide design reviews, and drive lean project management to achieve right-first-time outcomes and strong cost and performance improvements across the

Qualifications

• Degree in aerospace, mechanical, or mechatronic engineering, or an equivalent qualification.
• 5+ years developing, testing, or analysing mechanical systems.
• Strong technical ability in at least one domain of mechanical engineering: materials, structures, mechanisms, or fluids and pneumatics systems.
• Understanding of signal acquisition and measurement, including error and accuracy.
• Analytical thinking with systems perspective.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, and the ability to convey understanding clearly.
• Strong leadership with a proven ability to deliver results.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day delivery of vehicle engineering projects across structures, mechanisms, and fluids systems.
• Act as subject matter expert and quality approver for all engineering changes within the Vehicle Development team.
• Contribute to design reviews, ensuring workflows, processes, and products meet standards and best practice.
• Drive right-first-time GD&T and lean project management.
• Analyse and resolve manufacturing discrepancies and non-conformances.
• Drive down quality defects and time lost to non-conformances caused by vehicle design.
• Assess risk, implement mitigations, and verify they hold for future vehicles.
• Make risk/reward trade calls using engineering, program, and production input.
• Lead risk reduction, cost saving, and performance improvements across projects.
• Prioritise competing development projects to deliver team and department plans.
• Interface between Program Management and Production to deliver configuration on time.
• Build and refine the team's strategic plan aligned with goals.

Skills

5+ years experience in mechanical分

Education

Degree in aerospace, mechanical, or mechatronic engineering

Job description

Rocket Lab is seeking a Team Lead for Electron Vehicle Development in Auckland, NZ. You will lead a team of Vehicle Development Engineers, delivering vehicle systems projects across structures, mechanisms, and fluids, while ensuring quality, timeliness, and robust engineering rigor.

You'll act as SME and quality approver for engineering changes, guide design reviews, and drive lean project management to achieve right-first-time outcomes and strong cost and performance improvements across the