PCBA Supplier Quality Engineer (I–Senior) - Aerospace

Rocket Lab Corporation; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 229,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Long Beach, CA, seeks a Supplier Quality Engineer (I, II, Senior I, Senior II) for PCBA to assure quality requirements for procured parts, services, and processes. You will translate requirements, drive supplier improvement, and balance customer and supplier priorities.

You will lead containment, drive root cause resolution, and collaborate with design, manufacturing, and procurement to ensure manufacturability and quality across supplier scopes.

Qualifications

• Experience in a regulated industry: Aerospace, Medical, Automotive, or similar.
• Proficiency with GD&T and engineering drawing interpretation.
• Prior experience in a supplier quality role.
• Structured problem-solving using 8D, A3, or RCA methodology.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical point of contact for assigned parts and assemblies, solving emergent supplier quality challenges and mitigating risk to the manifest.
• Own production components and assemblies end-to-end — driving improvements in manufacturing methods, identifying new suppliers, and developing reliable rate-ramp processes.
• Conduct DFM reviews to ensure parts are manufacturable, preferably prior to sourcing.
• Partner with procurement to vet suppliers for quality capability and takt time alignment.
• Author and flow down specifications translating Rocket Lab quality and manufacturing requirements to the supply base.
• Scope advanced depaneling (cutting), optical inspection (AOI), and X-ray inspection technologies that improve rate, quality, or efficiency.
• Drive root cause resolution on assigned part issues; implement changes at suppliers or internally and pursue re-sourcing where warranted.
• Create and disposition Nonconformance tickets; coordinate rework, repair, or use-as-is dispositions with engineering.
• Lead containment activities on assigned parts — define scope, align cross-functional stakeholders, and drive to resolution.

Skills

Supplier quality

GD&T

Engineering drawings

8D / A3 / RCA

AS9100 / NADCAP

Jira / Confluence / Power BI

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, Mechatronic Engineering, or equivalent

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Power BI

Job description

Rocket Lab in Long Beach, CA, seeks a Supplier Quality Engineer (I, II, Senior I, Senior II) for PCBA to assure quality requirements for procured parts, services, and processes. You will translate requirements, drive supplier improvement, and balance customer and supplier priorities.

You will lead containment, drive root cause resolution, and collaborate with design, manufacturing, and procurement to ensure manufacturability and quality across supplier scopes.