Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer I

Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer I

We're currently seeking a Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer I for our propulsion engineering team based out of Long Beach, CA. As a Propulsion Systems Engineer, you're responsible for system-level and component-level ownership of space systems propulsion and fluidic development. This team supports our Space Systems division, and leads cutting-edge programs for civil, commercial, and defense customers.

What You'll Get To Do:

• Own development of new or existing products or systems, acting as technical lead to guide team through end-to-end development process.
• Conceptual and detailed designs in CAD for propulsion system components, as well as performance calculations and analysis.
• Review and approval of others' drawings, 3D PMI, reports, and specifications.
• Test planning, setup, instrumentation, execution, and data analysis.
• Communicate with project stakeholders internal and external to the team.
• Technical risk-based decision making to the right/best solution when faced with an engineering challenge.
• Project management including schedule building and maintenance, identifying top priority items, tasking of other engineers and technicians, and communication of status to leadership and other teams.
• Mentorship and coaching of people within the team on technical and professional development.
• Defining and maintaining standard of excellence for their team through documentation, training, coaching, and review of others' work.
• Contributing to engineering process development and documentation at Rocket Lab related to areas of experience.

You'll Bring These Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.
• Experience in propulsion system development or other high-performance field.
• US citizenship is required, due to program requirements.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

These Qualifications Would Be Nice To Have:

• A genuine passion for engineering, curious mindset, and willingness to learn.
• Detailed mechanical design experience using NX (preferred) or equivalent industry standard CAD software and Product Lifecycle Management software such as Teamcenter (preferred), Windchill, or similar.
• Comfortable working with high levels of ambiguity.
• Ability to make decisions using basic engineering principles, available literature and standards, technical risk assessments, test data, and physics-based models.
• Experience working on propulsion systems utilizing different storable propellants, such as electrical and chemical.
• Track record of design reviews and approving release of flight parts, qual reports and decisions for flight hardware.
• Practice in identifying the necessary steps to achieve high level technical goals, scheduling them in a plan, and managing delivery against that plan.
• Experience developing requirement and verification sets, as well as writing test plans, performing testing, and writing test reports.
• Experience with end-to-end development process including gathering requirements, detailed design, qualification, production, and acceptance testing.
• Capabilities using Python for data manipulation and post-processing.
• Demonstrated hands-on engineering skills, inside or outside the workplace.
• Hands-on integration and testing experience (ideally using NI equipment and software).
• Experience with GD&T and engineering drawings.
• Experience using Product Lifecycle Management software such as Teamcenter (preferred), Windchill, or similar.
• Experience using National Instruments data acquisition systems.
• Experience with testing and troubleshooting flight hardware.
• Master's or PhD in engineering.

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.