Manufacturing Engineer II - Vehicle Integration

ABOUT ROCKET LAB

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, payloads, satellite components, and more – all with the goal of opening access to space. The rockets and satellites we build and launch enable some of the most ambitious and vital space missions globally, supporting scientific exploration, Earth observation and missions to combat climate change, national security, and exciting new technology demonstrations.  

Our Electron rocket has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 230 satellites to orbit, all while we work to develop Neutron, our upcoming medium-lift, reusable launch vehicle for larger constellation deployment. Our Space Systems business designs and builds our extensive line of satellites, payloads, and their components, including spacecraft that have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars and components used on the James Webb Space Telescope. 

ELECTRON

Rocket Lab’s Electron team is responsible for building, testing, and launching our Electron rocket across our launch sites and test facilities in the United States and New Zealand. Electron is one of the world’s most frequently-launched rockets, and our team behind its success are diligent, move fast, and have each others’ back to deliver a reliable rocket to the launch pad time and time again.

About Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab is a global leader in launch and space systems. Our mission is to open access to space to improve life on Earth. We design, manufacture, and launch advanced rockets and spacecraft, enabling innovation for commercial, civil, defense, and academic customers worldwide.

About the Role
As a Manufacturing Engineer II – Vehicle Integration, you will enable Rocket Lab’s production teams to achieve required production rates with the highest quality. You will take ownership of products released to production, remove blockers, disposition non-conformance tickets, perform root-cause analysis, and implement corrective actions. You will also drive the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of manufacturing processes and procedures, leveraging your strong working knowledge of both the product and best-practice manufacturing techniques.

Key Responsibilities
Non-Conformance Support:

• Identify, analyze, and resolve manufacturing discrepancies and non-conformances
• Use substantiated engineering judgment and risk assessment to disposition non-conformances on flight hardware
• Lead problem containment and root cause/corrective action investigations
• Collaborate with production teams to identify and drive quality-related initiatives and improvements
• Perform structured root cause analysis of in-process failures
• Liaise between production, quality, supply chain, and design engineering for complex problem solving and process changes

Product, Process, and Tooling:

• Take ownership of assigned products that are production-ready, acting as subject matter expert
• Develop and maintain product manuals and lessons-learned documentation
• Execute product improvements, including design and qualification activities
• Develop and document production procedures and processes for repeatable, reliable manufacturing
• Develop solutions for reliable (electro)mechanical assemblies and associated test fixtures
• Develop and execute unique test methods for mission-critical and safety-critical hardware/systems
• Provide engineering support for day-to-day production and quality processes
• Train production personnel and leadership on new and existing processes and procedures

Design for Manufacture:

• Contribute to and steer design reviews, acting as an expert in design for manufacture and test
• Oversee introduction and implementation of new products and product revisions

Continuous Improvement:

• Identify, plan, and execute capital equipment, machine, and layout upgrades to meet production requirements, including preparation of business cases
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean/Six Sigma tools and techniques
• Develop, introduce, and maintain new planning, production, quality, ERP, data collection, and analysis processes

Expectations

• Provide solutions and ideas when faced with engineering challenges
• Share knowledge on effectiveness of theories and concepts
• Navigate and complete daily tasks within technical systems and interface with related systems
• Create, approve, and improve technical documentation
• Correctly assess risk, communicate, and implement solutions with long-term mitigation
• Assume ownership for improvements and challenges in assigned responsibilities
• Break down tasks, plan, estimate, and prioritize in alignment with company goals
• Identify engineering challenges and implement solutions to improve cost, quality, reliability, and delivery
• Establish project plans and execute on time without supervision
• Communicate effectively with peers and subordinates, set meeting agendas, and ensure timely completion of actions
• Volunteer to support cross-functional tasks and projects, and train others as needed
• Demonstrate professionalism, punctuality, and adherence to company policies and standards
• Ensure health and safety policies and procedures are followed at all times

Skills and Experience
Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, or Mechatronics Engineering, or related field
• 3+ years’ experience as a Manufacturing, Production, or Process Engineer
• Hands-on technical experience debugging complex systems in a manufacturing environment
• Strong communicator with proven ability to deliver KPIs with little to no supervision, both individually and as part of a team
• Can-do approach and flexibility to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal

Desirable:

• Experience with ERP/PLM Systems (Siemens Team Center, Infor LN)
• Knowledge of production quality metrics
• Experience with environmental and production acceptance testing (vibration, shock, thermal, vacuum)
• Understanding of instrumentation, interfaces, and sensors (power supplies, oscilloscopes, serial devices, accelerometers, thermocouples, RTDs, 4-20mA sensors)
• Experience with DFMEA, PFMEA, Fault Tree Analysis, Pareto analysis, root cause and corrective action
• Experience with capacity modeling, process mapping, Lean/Six Sigma, and value stream mapping
• SPC knowledge and experience applying statistical methods to track process capability and performance

Additional Information

• Domestic and international travel may be required
• Additional duties as reasonably required
• Adherence to company policies and procedures is expected

Rocket Lab is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

If the above sounds like you, apply now!

 

 

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.   

Important information:

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 g.biow@rocketlabusa.com.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.