About the Job
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 e...
Manufacturing Engineering powers Rocket Lab’s factories from concept to full-scale production. We turn early ideas into manufacturable designs, build and optimise the systems that make them real, and constantly push for faster, better, smarter ways to build. We engineer the factories that build the rockets, boosting...
We're seeking experienced Senior Manufacturing Engineers across multiple disciplines to take ownership of complex products, lead problem-solving initiatives, and drive manufacturing excellence.
Key Responsibilities
We're seeking experienced Senior Manufacturing Engineers across multiple disciplines to take ownership of complex products, lead problem-solving initiatives, and drive manufacturing excellence.
We're hiring across four key manufacturing disciplines:
Assembly & Integration – Mechanical, Assembly, Propulsion, Mechanical Test
Avionics & Test – Electronics manufacturing, electrical test, debugging systems
Composites – Advanced materials, resins, ablatives, sandwich structures
Machining – CNC programming, precision manufacturing, GD&T
Own & Ship:
Own products in production as the go-to expert
Drive teams to hit production targets at top quality
Execute product improvements and design qualifications
Solve & Fix:
Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions on failures
Disposition non-conformances on flight hardware using engineering judgment and risk assessment
Bridge production, quality, supply chain, and design engineering for rapid problem-solving
Build & Improve:
Create bulletproof production procedures and processes
Design reliable assemblies and test fixtures
Develop mission-critical test methods for safety-critical systems
Champion Lean/Six Sigma continuous improvement
Lead & Scale:
Drive design reviews as DFM/DFT expert
Launch new products and revisions into production
Plan and execute capital equipment upgrades with business cases
Implement planning, quality, ERP, and data systems
Mentor & Deliver:
Train engineers and production teams
Break down complex projects and deliver on time
Establish and execute project plans autonomously
Maintain product manuals and lessons-learned docs
Required Skills & Abilities
Engineering degree (Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Chemical, Materials, or related)
5+ years manufacturing/production/process engineering in the trenches
Well-tested debugging complex systems on the factory floor
You ship results independently and lead teams to do the same
You influence stakeholders, assess risk fast, and implement lasting solutions
Thrive in high pressure environments – can hustle and built for speed
Avionics & Test: Expert-level debugging of electro-mechanical systems, instrumentation (oscilloscopes, power supplies, sensors, serial devices)
Composites: Deep knowledge of resins, ablatives, sandwich structures, tooling, and manufacturing processes
Machining: Advanced GD&T, inspection methods, CAM software (3/5-axis CNC), 3+ years shop experience
Assembly & Integration: Led mechanical assembly, integration, propulsion, or mechanical test operations
Aerospace/defence/high-reliability manufacturing background
Lean/Six Sigma certified
ERP/PLM systems (Siemens TeamCenter, Infor LN)
DFMEA, PFMEA, Fault Tree, root cause/corrective action expert
SPC, capacity modelling, value stream mapping
Environmental testing (vibe, shock, thermal, vacuum)
Mentored or led engineers
You own it. Problems become solutions. Documentation gets done. Projects ship on time. You communicate clearly, lead when needed, support teammates always, and show up ready to build the future.
We take delivery incredibly seriously. Failure is not in our DNA. The work is hard, demanding, and not for the faint-hearted.
You don't go to Mars working eight to five, Monday to Friday. If you're a high performer, hungry for work with genuine impact where your engineering excellence directly shapes space exploration, national security, and critical infrastructure, you've found your place.
In return, you'll solve problems that actually matter alongside experts who run toward challenges, not away from them.
