Senior Thermofluids Analyst

Rocket Lab Corp.; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior Thermofluids Analyst in Auckland to lead internal thermodynamics and fluids modelling for Electron and Neutron vehicles.

You will own propellant management, tank pressurisation, RCS design, and full thermal design across ground, flight, and space environments, performing CFD and heat transfer simulations to guide design choices.

Qualifications

• Requires degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• 5+ years industry experience in aerospace, automotive, or marine.
• Strong physics and first principles problem solving.
• Experience with CFD packages: Fluent, CFX, STAR-CCM+.
• Experience with engineering programming using Python and related packages.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines in a high-pressure environment.
• Experience mentoring junior engineers.

Responsibilities

• Own propellant delivery and management—covering temperatures, transients, slosh, and in-space thermodynamics; CFD of internal fluid systems.
• Address depletion, residuals and utilisation control; own tank pressurisation and in-tank thermodynamics.
• Design RCS systems, including N2 budget, thruster specs, and flow modelling of valves/lines.
• Own system thermal design across ground, flight, and in-space operations; TPS response and insulation modelling.
• Perform heat transfer simulations and characterize thermal environments; develop design guidelines.
• Model HVAC and cavity conditioning and support payload integration and ITAs.
• Work with design/test engineers to iterate concepts and demonstrate margins.
• Process and interpret ground flight data, confirm MPE bounds and resolve sensor issues.

Skills

CFD software

Python programming

Fluid dynamics

Thermodynamics

Problem solving

Mentoring

Engineering analysis

Education

Bachelor in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Fluent

CFX

STAR-CCM+

NX CAD

Python scripting

Job description

Rocket Lab is the end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems that keep the world connected, protected, expand humanity’s reach to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. We move fast, build real hardware for meaningful missions, and make the impossible routine. Come shape the future with us.

While other companies talk about it, we do it!

NEUTRON

Rocket Lab’s Neutron team is responsible for bringing our new large rocket Neutron and its launch and test sites to life. From designing and testing Neutron’s structures and components, to firing up its new Archimedes engines, to setting up Neutron’s launch pads and test sites across the United States, joining the Neutron team is your opportunity to help launch a new large rocket for the very first time.

SENIOR THERMOFLUIDS ANALYST

We're looking for a Senior Thermofluids Analyst to join our Thermofluids Analysis team, responsible for all internal thermodynamics & fluids mechanics modelling & simulation across our Electron & Neutron vehicles.

This role is based in Auckland, New Zealand.

WHAT YOU'LL GET TO DO:

• Own propellant delivery and management—covering temperatures and stratification, cavitation margin, transients, slosh, PMD design, settling, and in-space thermodynamics—and perform CFD of internal fluid systems (compressible and incompressible flow)
• Address depletion, residuals, and utilisation control, and own tank pressurisation, including pressurant budgets, in-tank thermodynamics, and autogenous system sizing
• Design RCS systems, including N2 budget, thruster specification, and flow modelling of valves and lines
• Thermal
  • Own system thermal design across ground, flight, and in-space operations, including TPS response, compartment thermals, insulation, and component thermal modelling
  • Perform heat transfer simulations (conduction, convection, radiation) and characterise thermal environments, developing design guidelines and mitigations
  • Model HVAC and cavity conditioning (flow/temperature specification, pressure drop, flammability, cleanliness, humidity) and support payload integration and customer ITAs
• Analysis & Data
• Work closely with design and test engineers to iterate design concepts, determine test requirements, and demonstrate positive margins through numerical analysis, and physical test
• Process and interpret ground test and flight data—confirming MPE bounds, detecting out‑of‑family results, and resolving sensor configuration issues

YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:

• A degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or similar field
• 5 + years industry experience, ideally from the Aerospace, Automotive, or Marine industries
• A keen physics and first principles‑based approach to problem solving
• Expertise with one or more industry standard CFD packages: Fluent, CFX, STAR‑CCM+
• Experience in engineering programming, especially using Python (including Python packages numpy , pandas, scipy , matplotlib, etc.)
• Demonstrated ability executing to changing deadlines in a high‑pressure and fast‑paced work environment
• Experience in mentoring junior engineers

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Experience using NX CAD and Teamcenter packages (or comparable industry standard packages) with emphasis on model interrogation and defeaturing for subsequent analysis
• Experience with sensor selection and data post‑processing/ interpretation (accelerometers, strain gauges, thermocouples etc.)
• Experience with one or more industry standard thermal modelling packages: Thermal Desktop, THERMICA, NX SST

WHAT TO EXPECT

We’re on a mission to unlock the potential of space to improve life on Earth, but that’s not an easy task. It takes hard work, determination, relentless innovation, teamwork, grit, and an unwavering commitment to achieving what others often deem impossible. Our people out‑think, out‑work, and out‑pace. We pride ourselves on having each other’s backs, checking our egos at the door, and rolling up our sleeves on all tasks big and small. We thrive under pressure, work to tight deadlines, and our focus is always on how we can deliver, rather than dwelling on the challenges that stand in the way.

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Rocket Lab Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable. Learn more about ITAR here .

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.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for the application/interview process for a job in the United States should contact Giulia Johnson at [e-mail]. This dedicated resource is intended solely to assist job seekers with disabilities whose disability prevents them from being able to apply/interview. Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.

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.