Technician III — Materials Development & Testing

Rocket Lab Corp.; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Auckland, New Zealand, seeks a Technician III in Materials Development and Testing to prepare and test composite and metallic specimens, adhering to ASTM standards and documenting data for QA, qualification, and R&D.

The role requires material testing experience, familiarity with precision measurement tools, and capability to work independently with strong attention to detail in a fast-paced aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• Must have an Associate degree or higher in a related technical field with lab experience.
• Minimum 1 year in a materials testing lab environment.
• Experience with composite materials preparation and testing is required.

Responsibilities

• Prepare test specimens per ASTM standards referenced in the job posting.
• Perform precision cutting, machining, and surface preparation.
• Manufacture test articles for mechanical and thermal testing.
• Attach instrumentation and collect data during tests.
• Document specimen data and ensure traceability.
• Maintain specimen handling and environmental conditioning.
• Inspect specimens for defects to ensure validity.

Skills

Materials testing

Data acquisition

Excel

Engineering drawings

Statistics

Manual dexterity

Independent work

Education

Associate degree in Materials Science or related field

High school diploma +2 years lab experience

Tools

Universal testing machines

Data acquisition systems

Calipers

Micrometers

Optical measurement systems

Job description

Rocket Lab in Auckland, New Zealand, seeks a Technician III in Materials Development and Testing to prepare and test composite and metallic specimens, adhering to ASTM standards and documenting data for QA, qualification, and R&D.

The role requires material testing experience, familiarity with precision measurement tools, and capability to work independently with strong attention to detail in a fast-paced aerospace environment.