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Job
Hardware

Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer I

Rocket Lab · 4015 USA Space Systems

Pay
$82,400–$115,025/yr
Where
Long Beach, CA
Posted
Aug 10

Rocket Lab is the end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems that keep the world connected, protected, expand humanity’s reach to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. We move fast, build real hardware for meaningful missions, and make the impossible routine. Come shape the future with us.

SPACE SYSTEMS

At Rocket Lab, we’re not just launching rockets — we're building the future of space. Our Space Systems team builds everything from complete spacecraft, precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space, like solar panels, flight software, star trackers, optical systems, separation systems, radios, and more.

Our Space Systems team has enabled more than 1,700 missions, ranging from interplanetary exploration, in-space manufacturing to national security and defense initiatives.

What you get

  • Support the Business Development team with proposals and mission concepts
  • Develop high performance and lightweight satellite systems, mechanisms, and satellite bus configurations for our customers
  • Develop concepts and satellite configurations for high value science and interplanetary missions
  • Define what mechanisms look like on a modern satellite system/bus
  • Own component designs from conceptual design through production, test, and operation
  • Perform hand-calcs and FEA to drive design decisions
  • Lead key component design, manufacturing, and test reviews
  • Create and maintain product definition through CAD, production drawings, and test and operations procedures
  • Manage development schedules, vendors, budgets, and other project deliverables
  • Bachelor’s degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering; or other engineering discipline