Senior Stage Fluids Engineer - Lead Spacecraft Fluid Systems

Rocket Lab; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 277,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

ESPP program

Comprehensive benefits

Paid time off

Onsite fitness (where available)

Job summary

Rocket Lab’s Neutron team is building a new large rocket, Neutron, with an end-to-end responsibility from design to test sites. The Senior Stage Fluids Engineer will own fluid systems across the launch vehicle, turning requirements into a robust plumbing network that enables reusability and reliability.

The role involves designing, modeling, testing, and qualifying fluid components, collaborating across propulsion, structures, mechanical, operations, and flight software teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or relevant engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in a hardware rich environment.
• Experience with fluid components design and usage for valves, pressure vessels, flex elements & fittings.
• Experience with DfM/DfAM, machining processes, and welding processes with a proven understanding of mechanical drafting and GD&T.

Responsibilities

• Design plumbing systems, components, and their secondary structures. Provide feedback to peers on designs, drawings, and methodology.
• Analyze these systems and components in harsh launch environments; review and provide feedback for critical structural analysis of fluid components and systems.
• Model systems to characterize and predict behavior under all conditions; interpret models to improve efficacy.
• Test and qualify these systems, components, and modules.
• Manage requirements, realization, and implementation of systems in the larger launch vehicle context.
• Integrate hardware into the vehicle.
• Review data from testing to optimize future designs.
• Collaborate with propulsion, structures, mechanical, operations, and flight software teams to define vehicle functions.

Skills

Mechanical Engineering degree

Hardware-rich experience

Fluid components design

DfM/DfAM, GD&T

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or relevant engineering discipline

Tools

Siemens NX

Teamcenter

Job description

Rocket Lab’s Neutron team is building a new large rocket, Neutron, with an end-to-end responsibility from design to test sites. The Senior Stage Fluids Engineer will own fluid systems across the launch vehicle, turning requirements into a robust plumbing network that enables reusability and reliability.

The role involves designing, modeling, testing, and qualifying fluid components, collaborating across propulsion, structures, mechanical, operations, and flight software teams.