ABOUT ROCKET LAB
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.
NEUTRON
Rocket Lab’s Neutron team is responsible for bringing our new large rocket, Neutron and its launch and test sites to life. From designing and testing Neutron’s structures and components, to firing up its new Archimedes engines, to setting up Neutron’s launch pads and test sites across the United States, joining the Neutron team is your opportunity to help launch a new large rocket for the very first time.
SENIOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER - CONFIGURATION AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT
As a Senior Systems Engineer specialising in Configuration and Change Management, you will be the driving force ensuring our engineering modifications move from concept to flight hardware with speed, precision, and rigorous process discipline. Embedded within the Systems Engineering team, you will bridge the gap between complex vehicle architecture and execution, coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure interfaces are clear, changes are controlled, and configuration data is complete.
We are looking for an ambitious, high-drive individual who operates with autonomy, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and continuously seeks to automate the routine to focus on the highest impact deliverables. You will inherit a complex ecosystem of data validation tasks and will be given the opportunity to architect them out of existence.
This role is based in Auckland, New Zealand.
Join a driven team that’s tackling challenging projects, delivering on exciting missions, and making an impact on the future of space!
WHAT YOU'LL GET TO DO:
- Drive the Engineering Change Management (ECM) process by collaborating closely with Systems Engineering, Design, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to ensure modifications are implemented swiftly and without faults.
- Identify and verify system level impacts of changes, ensuring that the overall integrated launch vehicle will truly be improved through the implementation of proposed changes.
- Execute against the project’s configuration management plan, while actively identifying opportunities to mature our baseline control.
- Roughly 20% of your time will deliver rigorous configuration validation: confirming fit, form, function (f/f/f), ensuring EBOM-to-MBOM integrity, and managing end-of-life obsolescence procedures alongside Supply Chain.
- Continuous improvement and automation of our data integrity checks across our tools to catch missing components, mismatched revision tables, and broken ERP syncs before they impact production.
- Act as a power user of Teamcenter, Jira, and Infor LN, tracking progress and ensuring data smoothly crosses the boundaries between design, manufacturing, and enterprise resource planning.
- Define and uphold high- quality engineering processes
YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering or equivalent experience
- 5+ year’s industry experience applied to a relevant technical field (i.e. Mechanical structures, Fluid Systems, Mechanisms, Propulsion, Avionics, Software)
- Drive and Autonomy: A proven track record of operating with some autonomy, taking ownership of outcomes, and delivering to tight deadlines.
- Systems Thinker Mindset: A passion for process efficiency and curiosity to investigate and verify how the system works and that proposed changes meet the stated objectives.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence (without line report authority) and coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams around deadlines.
- Attention to detail with the patience and discipline to manage critical configuration data.
- Experience with PLM/PDM systems (preferably Teamcenter) and workflow management software (Jira)
THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:
- Project Management experience such as tracking schedules, managing manufacturing effectivity, and driving engineering deliverables to completion.
- Familiarity or practical experience applying EIA-649 principles within an aerospace, defence, or high-reliability engineering environment.
- Experience with Infor LN or data visualisation tools like Power BI to track configuration metrics and status reporting.
- A baseline capability to write Python scripts or utilise Teamcenter/Jira APIs to automate repetitive data validation tasks.
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 [email protected] 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.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of industry experience in a relevant technical field such as mechanical structures, fluid systems, mechanisms, propulsion, avionics, or software
- Experience operating autonomously, taking ownership of outcomes, and delivering to tight deadlines
- Systems-thinking mindset with a focus on process efficiency and verifying system behavior and change objectives
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to influence and coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams
- Strong attention to detail and discipline managing critical configuration data
- Experience with PLM/PDM systems, preferably Teamcenter
- Experience with workflow management software such as Jira
- Project management experience tracking schedules, managing manufacturing effectivity, and driving engineering deliverables to completion
- Familiarity with or practical experience applying EIA-649 principles in aerospace, defense, or high-reliability engineering
- Experience with Infor LN or data visualization tools such as Power BI
- Ability to write Python scripts or use Teamcenter/Jira APIs for automated data validation
Rocket Lab Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Rocket Lab and has not been reviewed or approved by Rocket Lab.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as robust, with multiple HMO/PPO options and a 100% company‑sponsored HSA plan alongside dental and vision. Company materials and postings also note life and disability insurance and an overall strong medical offering for U.S. roles.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity participation is emphasized through RSUs and a discounted ESPP with a look‑back feature, positioned as a meaningful part of total rewards. Filings and benefits summaries highlight broad accessibility to ownership programs across many roles.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off is outlined as a full suite that includes paid vacation, sick time, paid holidays, and paid parental leave. Some locations also feature supportive extras such as a childcare concierge and onsite amenities.
Rocket Lab Insights
What We Do
Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, spacecraft components, satellites and other spacecraft and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle and the Photon satellite platform and is developing the Neutron 8-ton payload class launch vehicle. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered 100+ satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft platform has been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a second launch site in Virginia, USA which is expected to become operational in late 2022. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.
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