Senior Facilities Engineer I

Rocket Lab Corporation; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab Corporation seeks a Senior Facilities Engineer I in Albuquerque, NM to support SolAero facilities. You will oversee maintenance, operation, and upgrades, ensuring high system availability and regulatory compliance for critical spaces.

The role requires expertise in HVAC, electrical, and mechanical systems, with Lean and project-management experience guiding capital projects and cross-functional collaboration with operations and subcontractors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and 5+ years in manufacturing or facilities engineering, esp. HVAC, pneumatics, controls and steam.
• 9+ years of experience in manufacturing or facilities engineering if no degree.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute plans to manage building systems (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, safety, waste).
• Translate manufacturing and testing requirements into facilities specifications (electrical, network, HVAC, fluids, etc.).
• Plan and justify capital projects for facility upgrades and layout improvements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure safety and operation standards.
• Develop maintenance policy for buildings and equipment.
• Ensure work follows safety standards and budget guidelines.
• Apply Lean principles to facilities design and production systems.
• Support equipment selection, FAT, SAT, and production commissioning.
• Assist EHS to ensure OSHA compliance and environmental regulations.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues, implement corrective actions, and perform preventive maintenance.
• Monitor equipment performance and implement efficiency upgrades.

Skills

HVAC systems

Pneumatics

Controls

Steam systems

Facilities maintenance

Lean manufacturing

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Industrial/Manufacturing/Mechanical/Electrical/Aerospace)

Master’s degree in Engineering (Manufacturing/Mechanical/Electrical/Aerospace)

Tools

Heavy equipment

Large-scale lifting operations

Job description

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.

SPACE SYSTEMS

At Rocket Lab, we’re not just launching rockets — we're building the future of space. Our Space Systems team builds everything from complete spacecraft, precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space, like solar panels, flight software, star trackers, optical systems, separation systems, radios, and more.

Our Space Systems team has enabled more than 1,700 missions, ranging from interplanetary exploration, in-space manufacturing to national security and defense initiatives. The team has built spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions to the Moon and Mars, working with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force. Whether it’s a single high-performance spacecraft, constellation, or the vertically integrated components that help them get to space — our world class Space Systems team is empowering some of the boldest and most ambitious space missions

SENIOR FACILITIES ENGINEER I

As a Senior Facilities Engineer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is responsible to support facilities maintenance, operations, and improvement projects for our SolAero facilities. It also encompasses equipment maintenance and preventative maintenance responsibilities. You will be supporting internal leadership to ensure all facility equipment is up to current standards and can support SolAero’s production facility with the highest availability possible.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

• Develop and execute plan to manage all building systems including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, safety, and waste management.
• Translate manufacturing, processes, and testing requirements into facilities specifications, including electrical, network infrastructure, HVAC, fluids (air, nitrogen, vacuum, water), and other critical systems.
• Plan, justify, and support execution of capital projects for facility upgrades, equipment installations, and layout improvements.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including operations, maintenance, and subcontractors to ensure facilities equipment meets safety and operational standards.
• Develop maintenance policy and procedures that ensure the optimal functioning of buildings, grounds, and associated equipment.
• Ensure facilities maintenance work follows safety standards, conforms to specifications, and that work orders are tracked and completed within the budgeted guidelines
• Apply Lean principles to facilities design and production system development, ensuring efficient use of resources.
• Support equipment selection, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and production commissioning.
• Support EHS to ensure facility is compliant with OSHA, environmental regulations.
• Troubleshooting and resolving technical issues, implementing corrective actions, and performing preventive maintenance.
• Monitoring equipment performance, conducting evaluations, and implementing upgrades to optimize efficiency.

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (preferably Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical, or Aerospace) AND5+ years of experience in manufacturing or facilities engineering environments (specifically HVAC, pneumatics, controls and steam) OR
  • 9+ years of experience in manufacturing or facilities engineering environments (specifically HVAC, pneumatics, controls and steam) in lieu of a degree.
• Facilities and equipment maintenance experience in an Aerospace, Automotive, Medical Device, or similar heavily regulated manufacturing environment (i.e. cleanroom)
• Demonstrated achievements in planning, directing, and implementing complex projects on time, within budget and with desired functionality.
• Experience with heavy equipment, large-scale lifting operations, and structural assembly.

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Masters Engineering degree (preferably Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical, or Aerospace)
• Occupational health & safety skills to include risk assessment, policy, training, project management, hazardous substances, and safety in manufacturing engineering
• Knowledge and practical experience in emergency management and / or occupational health and workplace hygiene
• Experience in the application of Lean Manufacturing tools and methodologies.
• Ability to be broadly focused, while paying attention to detail and concurrently managing multiple efforts
• Ability to work effectively with all levels of the organization, including staff, business stakeholders, and all levels of management.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including those necessary for an executive audience.
• Strong conflict resolution, negotiation, and influential skills
• Ability to work in fast-paced, changing, and ambiguous environments.
• Proven experience in project management
• Highly organized and detail oriented

This position may require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, computer work, and occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.

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.