Senior Development Engineer, Space Structures

Rocket Lab Corporation; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Auckland is seeking a Senior Development Engineer to drive the design, development, and qualification of high-performance mechanical structures and mechanisms for the Neutron launch vehicle.

You will work with analysis and manufacturing engineers to produce concepts, detailed designs, drawings, and to develop test plans, execute tests, and document results, ensuring safety and quality across complex space hardware.

Qualifications

• Aerospace, mechanical or mechatronic engineering degree or equivalent qualification.
• 5+ years developing and testing high performance mechanical systems, focusing on structures/mechanisms.
• Experience with instrumentation selection, setup, post-processing, and interpretation of static/dynamic test data.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work within a team environment.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to see big picture and make sound decisions.
• Detail-oriented with emphasis on achieving high quality standards.
• Tenacity and can-do attitude with quick, accurate judgement.

Responsibilities

• Produce and iterate conceptual CAD designs for structures and mechanisms across the Neutron launch vehicle.
• Lead testing of structures and mechanisms, including metallic components and integrated assemblies.
• Develop test plans, monitor activities, and post-process data to verify performance requirements.
• Characterise structural materials, interfaces, and subcomponents through tests.
• Create test jigs/fixtures to support fabrication, assembly, and development testing.
• Identify and solve technical challenges to keep projects moving safely and on pace.
• Feed testing outcomes back into design/manufacture for continuous improvement.
• Mentor and assist junior engineers.

Skills

Aerospace engineering

Mechanical engineering

Mechatronic engineering

Instrumentation experience

Testing under pressure

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Attention to detail

Tenacity

Education

Engineering degree (Aerospace/Mechanical/Mechatronic)

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

CATIA

Teamcenter/Windchill

National Instruments data acquisition

LabVIEW

MATLAB

C++

Job description

Rocket Lab in Auckland is seeking a Senior Development Engineer to drive the design, development, and qualification of high-performance mechanical structures and mechanisms for the Neutron launch vehicle.

You will work with analysis and manufacturing engineers to produce concepts, detailed designs, drawings, and to develop test plans, execute tests, and document results, ensuring safety and quality across complex space hardware.