Thermofluids Engineer – Spacecraft CFD & Thermal Design

Rocket Lab Corp.; Auckland; Remote; NZD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab is seeking a Thermofluids Analyst in Auckland, New Zealand to advance internal thermodynamics and fluids modelling for Electron and Neutron vehicles. You will own propellant delivery, CFD of internal systems, and contribute to RCS design and thermal analyses across ground, flight, and in-space operations.

The role combines physics-based problem solving, Python data work, and close collaboration with design and test engineers to deliver robust margins under tight schedules.

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• 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.
• 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 system design across ground, flight, and in-space operations, including TPS response, compartment thermals, insulation, and component thermal modelling.
• Model HVAC and cavity conditioning (flow/temperature specification, pressure drop, flammability, cleanliness, humidity) and support payload integration and customer ITAs.
• 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.

Skills

Mechanical Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

CFD packages

Python

Problem solving

Deadline driven

Thermodynamics

Education

Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering degree

Tools

NX CAD

Teamcenter

Job description

Rocket Lab is seeking a Thermofluids Analyst in Auckland, New Zealand to advance internal thermodynamics and fluids modelling for Electron and Neutron vehicles. You will own propellant delivery, CFD of internal systems, and contribute to RCS design and thermal analyses across ground, flight, and in-space operations.

The role combines physics-based problem solving, Python data work, and close collaboration with design and test engineers to deliver robust margins under tight schedules.