Systems Engineer - Configuration and Change

JobSpace; Auckland; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Auckland, New Zealand, seeks a Systems Engineer specializing in Configuration and Change Management. You will drive ECM across Engineering, Design, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain, ensuring modifications move from concept to flight hardware swiftly with rigor and data integrity.

The role requires a degree in Engineering, 2+ years in a relevant field, autonomy, and strong communication to coordinate multidisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 2+ years' industry experience in a relevant technical field.
• Drive and autonomy with ownership of outcomes.
• Systems thinker with focus on process efficiency.
• Strong communication to coordinate multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience with PLM/PDM systems (Teamcenter) and Jira.

Responsibilities

• Drive ECM processes with Systems Engineering, Design, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain.
• Identify system-level impacts and ensure improvements to the integrated launch vehicle.
• Execute against configuration management plans and mature baseline control.
• Conduct configuration validation, ensuring EBOM-to-MBOM integrity.
• Automate data integrity checks and prevent ERP misalignments in production.
• Act as power user of Teamcenter, Jira, and Infor LN across design to ERP.
• Define and uphold high-quality engineering processes.

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering

Tools

Teamcenter

Jira

Infor LN

Power BI

Python

Job description

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Systems Engineer - Configuration and Change

Systems Engineer - Configuration and Change

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, payloads, satellite components, and more – all with the goal of opening access to space. The rockets and satellites we build and launch enable some of the most ambitious and vital space missions globally, supporting scientific exploration, Earth observation and missions to combat climate change, national security, and exciting new technology demonstrations.

Our Electron rocket has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 230 satellites to orbit, all while we work to develop Neutron, our upcoming medium-lift, reusable launch vehicle for larger constellation deployment. Our Space Systems business designs and builds our extensive line of satellites, payloads, and their components, including spacecraft that have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars and components used on the James Webb Space Telescope.

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.

As a Systems Engineer specializing in Configuration and Change Management, you will be the driving force ensuring our engineering modifications move from concept to flight hardware with speed, precision, and rigorous process discipline. Embedded within the Systems Engineering team, you will bridge the gap between complex vehicle architecture and execution, coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure interfaces are clear, changes are controlled, and configuration data is complete.

We are looking for an ambitious, high-drive individual who operates with autonomy, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and continuously seeks to automate the routine in order to focus on the highest impact deliverables. You will inherit a complex ecosystem of data validation tasks and will be given the opportunity to architect them out of existence.

This role is based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Join a driven team that's tackling challenging projects, delivering on exciting missions, and making an impact on the future of space!

What You'll Get To Do:

• Drive the Engineering Change Management (ECM) process by collaborating closely with Systems Engineering, Design, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to ensure modifications are implemented swiftly and without faults.
• Identify and verify system level impacts of changes, ensuring that the overall integrated launch vehicle will truly be improved through the implementation of proposed changes.
• Execute against the project's configuration management plan, while actively identifying opportunities to mature our baseline control.
• Roughly 20% of your time will deliver rigorous configuration validation: confirming fit, form, function (f/f/f), ensuring EBOM-to-MBOM integrity, and managing end-of-life obsolescence procedures alongside Supply Chain.
• Continuous improvement and automation of our data integrity checks across our tools to catch missing components, mismatched revision tables, and broken ERP syncs before they impact production.
• Act as a power user of Teamcenter, Jira, and Infor LN, tracking progress and ensuring data smoothly crosses the boundaries between design, manufacturing, and enterprise resource planning.
• Define and uphold high - quality engineering processes

You'll Bring These Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering or equivalent experience
• 2+ year's industry experience applied to a relevant technical field (i.e. Mechanical structures, Fluid Systems, Mechanisms, Propulsion, Avionics, Software)
• Drive and Autonomy: A proven track record of operating with some autonomy, taking ownership of outcomes, and delivering to tight deadlines.
• Systems Thinker Mindset: A passion for process efficiency and curiosity to investigate and verify how the system works and that proposed changes meet the stated objectives.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence (without line report authority) and coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams around deadlines.
• Attention to detail with the patience and discipline to manage critical configuration data.
• Experience with PLM/PDM systems (preferably Teamcenter) and workflow management software (Jira)

These Qualifications Would Be Nice To Have:

• Project Management experience such as tracking schedules, managing manufacturing effectivity, and driving engineering deliverables to completion.
• Familiarity or practical experience applying EIA-649 principles within an aerospace, defence, or high-reliability engineering environment.
• Experience with Infor LN or data visualisation tools like Power BI to track configuration metrics and status reporting.
• A baseline capability to write Python scripts or utilise Teamcenter/Jira APIs to automate repetitive data validation tasks.

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.