Lead Space Manufacturing Engineer — Flexible Schedule

Rocketlab; Silver Spring (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock purchase program

Flexible schedule

Breakfast & lunch catered

Free snacks & drinks

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Silver Spring, MD seeks a Lead, Manufacturing Engineer to lead a team focused on transforming spaceflight separation system concepts into manufacturable designs.

You will drive feasibility studies, design and optimize production lines, and partner with development teams to ensure manufacturability at scale while mentoring engineers and championing continuous improvements. This role requires strong leadership and hands-on experience in aerospace manufacturing.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering.
• 5+ years of manufacturing, production, or process engineering experience.
• Hands-on experience identifying and solving problems in manufacturing systems.
• Experience designing, implementing and supporting production lines.
• Experience leading teams to achieve goals.
• Familiarity with aerospace fabrication techniques and finishes.
• Experience with DFMEA/PFMEA, Fault Tree Analysis and root-cause correction.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of manufacturing engineers.
• Conduct feasibility studies on advanced manufacturing technologies.
• Incorporate DFx principles for manufacturability in separation systems.
• Design and validate production lines for spaceflight mechanisms.
• Diagnose production issues and implement corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvements across manufacturing and testing.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Manufacturing engineering

Root cause analysis

DFMEA/PFMEA

Education

B.S. in Engineering

Tools

Capital equipment justification

Project management

Job description

Rocket Lab in Silver Spring, MD seeks a Lead, Manufacturing Engineer to lead a team focused on transforming spaceflight separation system concepts into manufacturable designs.

You will drive feasibility studies, design and optimize production lines, and partner with development teams to ensure manufacturability at scale while mentoring engineers and championing continuous improvements. This role requires strong leadership and hands-on experience in aerospace manufacturing.