Lead Satellite Mechanical Engineer – Mission Formulation

Rocket Lab; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 132,000 - 198,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Rocket Lab’s Senior Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer II – Mission Formulation is based in Long Beach, CA and leads the mechanical formulation of new satellite systems, including structures, mechanisms, and satellite bus configurations to support civil, national security, and commercial opportunities.

You will manage mass and mechanical budgets, define requirements, perform trades, plan tests, and guide the mechanical systems engineering process from concept through production, validation, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering (or related technical field).
• 8+ years in mechanical engineering within aerospace.
• Experience supporting satellite/spacecraft development programs.
• Experience with CAD modeling and drawing.
• US citizenship is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead satellite mechanical formulation supporting business development and opportunities.
• Develop high‑performance, lightweight satellite bus configurations, structures and mechanisms.
• Design concepts for science and interplanetary missions.
• Define deployment mechanisms on modern satellite systems.
• Develop and maintain mass and mechanical budgets for vehicle performance.
• Define mechanical system requirements and verification techniques.
• Perform structural, mechanism, and packaging analyses including hand‑calcs/FEA.
• Develop test methods and analyze data (structural, thermal, vibro).
• Lead mechanical development from concept to production and operation.
• Create with CAD, production drawings, and test/operations procedures.
• Support program management including schedules, vendors, and budgets.

Skills

Satellite engineering

CAD modeling

Mechanical design

Systems engineering

US citizenship

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Tools

CAD software

JAMA

DOORS

Job description

Rocket Lab’s Senior Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer II – Mission Formulation is based in Long Beach, CA and leads the mechanical formulation of new satellite systems, including structures, mechanisms, and satellite bus configurations to support civil, national security, and commercial opportunities.

You will manage mass and mechanical budgets, define requirements, perform trades, plan tests, and guide the mechanical systems engineering process from concept through production, validation, and