Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer I

Rocket Lab Corporation; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab, based in Long Beach, CA, seeks a Senior Systems Engineer I – Spacecraft Design to lead mechanical formulation for new satellite systems. You will manage budgets, requirements, trades, testing, and the engineering process for civil, national security, and commercial missions.

You will develop high-performance satellite bus configurations and mechanisms, collaborate on CONOPS, and drive design from concept through production, testing, and operation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of aerospace engineering experience.
• Experience with satellite/spacecraft development programs.
• Experience with CAD modeling and drawing.
• US citizenship is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead satellite mechanical engineering formulation supporting business development and new opportunity capture.
• Develop high performance and lightweight satellite bus configurations, structures, and mechanisms for customers.
• Develop concepts and satellite configurations for high value science and interplanetary missions.
• Define mechanisms and deployment systems for modern satellite systems/bus.
• Develop and maintain mass and mechanical technical budgets and requirements.
• Carry out structural, mechanism, and packaging analyses including hand-calcs and FEA.
• Plan and execute test methods and data analysis (structural, thermal, vibe).
• Lead mechanical development from conceptual design through production, test, and operation.
• Create and maintain product definitions via CAD, drawings, and test/ops procedures.
• Assist with program and product management including schedules, vendors, budgets.
• Develop mechanical interface specifications and CONOPS with team members.

Skills

CAD modeling

Hand‑calcs

FEA

GD&T

Autonomy

Communication

System-level thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Tools

CAD software

JAMA/DOORS

Job description

Rocket Lab, based in Long Beach, CA, seeks a Senior Systems Engineer I – Spacecraft Design to lead mechanical formulation for new satellite systems. You will manage budgets, requirements, trades, testing, and the engineering process for civil, national security, and commercial missions.

You will develop high-performance satellite bus configurations and mechanisms, collaborate on CONOPS, and drive design from concept through production, testing, and operation.