Junior Space Systems Engineer I

Rocketlab; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 82,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity compensation

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Medical, dental, vision

Paid time off & holidays

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Rocket Lab seeks a Systems Engineer I for the Space Systems team in Long Beach, CA. The role focuses on developing and maintaining budgets, defining system requirements, and driving the technical development of spacecraft missions.

You will work hands-on with flight hardware, perform test planning, and collaborate across teams to deliver civil, commercial, and defense projects. Equity and comprehensive benefits accompany a competitive base salary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering; aerospace experience preferred.
• Experience supporting satellite or spacecraft development programs.
• U.S. citizenship required for ITAR/government programs.
• Master’s or PhD in engineering would be a plus.
• Proficiency with MATLAB, Python, and STK desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain technical budgets for vehicle performance.
• Define system requirements and verification methods.
• Create simulations and analysis across vehicle functions.
• Plan and execute tests and analyze data.
• Lead and own technical development of spacecraft missions.
• Collaborate on interface specs and CONOPS.

Skills

Aerospace engineering

Satellite programs

MATLAB

Python

STK

Requirements tools

Spacecraft subsystems

Citizenship required

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Master’s or PhD in engineering (nice to have)

Tools

JAMA/DOORS

Job description

Rocket Lab seeks a Systems Engineer I for the Space Systems team in Long Beach, CA. The role focuses on developing and maintaining budgets, defining system requirements, and driving the technical development of spacecraft missions.

You will work hands-on with flight hardware, perform test planning, and collaborate across teams to deliver civil, commercial, and defense projects. Equity and comprehensive benefits accompany a competitive base salary.