Lead Assembly Integration & Test Technician

Rocket Lab Corporation; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab Corporation in Long Beach, CA is seeking a Lead AIT Technician to coordinate daily spacecraft assembly, integration, and test activities onsite. You will mentor technicians, lead by example, and drive continuous improvement while ensuring safety, quality, and on-time production.

Ideal candidates will have aerospace manufacturing experience, strong leadership, and the ability to work cross-functionally with production management, engineering, and quality teams.

Qualifications

• Aerospace manufacturing experience in spacecraft assembly and integration.
• Strong technical proficiency in electrical and mechanical assembly and aerospace workmanship standards.
• Ability to coordinate work, prioritize demands, and deliver results in a fast-paced production environment.
• Proven ability to mentor, train, and positively influence others through effective communication and leadership by example.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to anticipate challenges, exercise sound judgment, and elevate issues appropriately.
• Demonstrated accountability, professional integrity, and the ability to build trust and maintain productive working relationships.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams while maintaining high standards of safety, quality, and execution.
• HS Diploma or GED.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate daily spacecraft assembly, integration, and test activities, ensuring work is executed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with engineering and quality requirements.
• Establish daily priorities, assign work, monitor progress, and maintain accountability for production commitments and schedule execution.
• Proactively identify and resolve production constraints, including material shortages, engineering discrepancies, quality issues, and resource limitations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for technicians, facilitating communication and coordination with production management, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and other supporting organizations.
• Maintain awareness of upcoming production requirements, ensuring work packages, materials, tooling, and personnel are prepared to support uninterrupted production flow.
• Provide technical guidance, troubleshoot manufacturing challenges, and ensure compliance with approved work instructions, configuration control, and workmanship standards.
• Mentor and develop technicians through coaching, knowledge sharing, cross training, and constructive performance feedback.
• Promote a culture of ownership, integrity, teamwork, and accountability while consistently demonstrating professionalism and sound judgment.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities that enhance safety, quality, productivity, and manufacturing efficiency.

Skills

Aerospace manufacturing

Electrical & mechanical assembly

Team coordination

Mentoring

Problem solving

Accountability

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

HS Diploma or GED

Tools

MES

ERP

Jira

Job description

Lead Assembly Integration & Test Technician

Long Beach, CA

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.

LEAD ASSEMBLY INTEGRATION & TEST (AIT) TECHNICIAN

Based onsite at Rocket Lab’s global headquarters in Long Beach, CA, the Lead AIT Technician is responsible for coordinating daily spacecraft assembly, integration, and test activities while providing technical guidance and operational leadership to a team of technicians.

This role serves as a critical link between production management, technicians, engineering, quality, and other cross-functional teams to ensure safe, efficient, and high quality execution of spacecraft manufacturing operations.

Our ideal candidate demonstrates strong technical competency, sound judgment, personal accountability, and a commitment to developing others. They lead by example, take ownership of challenges, and foster a culture of teamwork, integrity, and continuous improvement.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

• Lead and coordinate daily spacecraft assembly, integration, and test activities, ensuring work is executed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with engineering and quality requirements.
• Establish daily priorities, assign work, monitor progress, and maintain accountability for production commitments and schedule execution.
• Proactively identify and resolve production constraints, including material shortages, engineering discrepancies, quality issues, and resource limitations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for technicians, facilitating communication and coordination with production management, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and other supporting organizations.
• Maintain awareness of upcoming production requirements, ensuring work packages, materials, tooling, and personnel are prepared to support uninterrupted production flow.
• Provide technical guidance, troubleshoot manufacturing challenges, and ensure compliance with approved work instructions, configuration control, and workmanship standards.
• Mentor and develop technicians through coaching, knowledge sharing, cross training, and constructive performance feedback.
• Promote a culture of ownership, integrity, teamwork, and accountability while consistently demonstrating professionalism and sound judgment.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities that enhance safety, quality, productivity, and manufacturing efficiency.

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS AS A LEAD AIT TECHNICIAN:

• Demonstrated experience in aerospace manufacturing, spacecraft assembly and integration, avionics, or other high-reliability manufacturing environments.
• Strong technical proficiency in electrical and mechanical assembly processes, engineering documentation, and aerospace workmanship standards.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate work, prioritize competing demands, and deliver results in a fast-paced production environment.
• Proven ability to mentor, train, and positively influence others through effective communication and leadership by example.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to anticipate challenges, exercise sound judgment, and elevate issues appropriately.
• Demonstrated accountability, professional integrity, and the ability to build trust and maintain productive working relationships.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams while maintaining high standards of safety, quality, and execution.
• HS Diploma or GED.

AS A LEAD AIT TECHNICIAN THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Previous experience serving as a team lead, technical lead, or in a similar manufacturing leadership capacity.
• Experience with spacecraft integration, functional testing, environmental testing, or propulsion systems.
• Experience with AS9100, IPC-WHMA-A-620, J-STD-001, and NASA workmanship standards.
• Experience with MES, ERP, Jira, or other manufacturing execution and production tracking systems.
• Experience supporting NCR, MRB, RCCA, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience coordinating production schedules, resource allocation, and cross functional issue resolution.
• Experience developing training programs, standardizing manufacturing processes, or supporting Lean Manufacturing initiatives.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Standing for long periods of time, climbing up and down ladders, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, and stretching may be required to perform the functions of this position.
• Able to lift up to 25lbs. unassisted.
• Must be able to climb ladders and be comfortable working in tight spaces.
• Must be able to move repetitively, bend or twist, and use hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
• Must be able to walk or stand for extended periods – 8 hours min.
• Must be able to stoop, bend, crawl, and being able to maneuver in tight spaces

Hourly Pay Range (CA Only)

$40 - $50 USD

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.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Rocket Lab Corporation’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.