Senior Propulsion Test & Automation Engineer

Rocket Lab Corporation; Waikato; On-site; NZD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in New Zealand is seeking a Senior Propulsion Engineer specializing in automation and test systems to advance propulsion test stands, develop automated control and data systems, and support flight‑readiness validation.

You will troubleshoot live test infrastructure, design and commissioning upgrades, implement data acquisition, and work with cross‑functional teams to improve reliability and throughput in a remote, on‑site facility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering with hands‑on focus.
• Strong LabVIEW experience and test sequencing abilities.
• Experience with PLC‑based control systems (Beckhoff or similar).

Responsibilities

• Act as on‑site propulsion test stand automation expert.
• Troubleshoot live propulsion test infrastructure daily.
• Design, commission, and upgrade test systems and automation.
• Develop data acquisition and control sequences.
• Integrate PLC, software, and hardware for reliability.
• Collaborate with remote teams to resolve complex issues.
• Identify bottlenecks and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

LabVIEW

PLC control

Python

Instrumentation

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Software, Electrical, Mechatronics)

Tools

National Instruments LabVIEW

Beckhoff PLC

SQL (basic)

TestStand

FlexLogger

Job description

Rocket Lab in New Zealand is seeking a Senior Propulsion Engineer specializing in automation and test systems to advance propulsion test stands, develop automated control and data systems, and support flight‑readiness validation.

You will troubleshoot live test infrastructure, design and commissioning upgrades, implement data acquisition, and work with cross‑functional teams to improve reliability and throughput in a remote, on‑site facility.