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.
PEOPLE & CULTURE
Rocket Lab’s People & Culture team is responsible for looking after our most valuable asset: our people. Across our global teams, the People & Culture team supports our people and departments across recruitment, new staff orientation, compensation, training and development. They make sure our growing and diverse global team is supported and capable of delivering our projects and customer’s missions, and they’re responsible for supporting their development, nurturing their skills and talent, and retaining the world-class people already on our team.
TALENT ACQUISITION PARTNER II / SENIOR - CONTRACT
Based onsite at Rocket Lab’s Middle River, MD facility, the Talent Acquisition Partner is responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with hiring managers and candidates alike to fill highly critical roles.
This is a full life-cycle recruitment position – you will own everything from initial sourcing and screening to extending offers. As a member of the TA team, you will be integral in fulfilling our mission to open up access to space to improve life on earth by hiring innovators who will help shape our rapidly expanding programs.
*This is a 6-month fixed-term role for immediate hire, with the potential opportunity to convert to full-time employment upon term completion. This role sits onsite at our Middle River, MD facility – remote work is not considered for this position.*
WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:
- Serve as a strategic hiring expert and partner to hiring managers and business unit leaders
- Partner with hiring managers to determine the requirements and expectations for their open positions, and the qualities of their ideal candidate
- Manage the full hiring life-cycle, from initial sourcing and screening to extending offers
- Screen candidates for open roles and guide them through the interview process
- Build a diverse pipeline of talent, including passive candidates, through sourcing, cold calling, phone screens, and networking
- Utilize our ATS (Greenhouse) to build reports and analyze key metrics on recruiting activities to drive process improvements
- Travel as needed to support hiring efforts at other sites, including Launch Complex 3 in Wallops Island VA and Space Structures Complex in Middle River, MD
YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS AS A TA PARTNER II:
- Bachelor’s degree
- 2+ years of full-time, full-cycle recruiting experience
YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS AS A SENIOR TA PARTNER I:
- Bachelor’s degree
- 5+ years of full-time, full-cycle recruiting experience
THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:
- 8+ years of full-time recruiting experience preferred
- Agency and in-house recruiting experience
- Experience recruiting for high-volume nonexempt roles and/or engineering roles such as: production, manufacturing, test, mechanical, electrical, systems, propulsion, etc.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment supporting high-performing teams
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with hiring managers at all levels, as well as candidates and external partners
- Previous experience sourcing for highly technical and niche roles
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.
Level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Base salary is just one component of our total rewards package at Rocket Lab. Employees may also receive company equity and access to a robust benefits package including: top tier medical HMO, PPO & a 100% company-sponsored medical HSA plan option, dental and vision coverage, 3 weeks paid vacation and 5 days sick leave per year, 11 paid holidays per year, flexible spending and dependent care savings accounts, paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance, and access to a 401(k) retirement plan with company match. Other perks include: discounted employee stock purchase program, and free snacks/drinks onsite.
Eligibility for benefits may vary based on employment status, please check with your recruiter for a comprehensive list of the benefits available for this role. Benefit programs are subject to change at the company’s discretion.
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 degree
- Full-cycle recruiting experience (2+ years)
- Full-cycle recruiting experience (5+ years)
- Experience with Greenhouse ATS and recruiting metrics/reporting
- Eligibility for ITAR-restricted work (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee/asylee, or eligible for required authorizations)
- Experience recruiting high-volume nonexempt and/or engineering roles (production, manufacturing, test, mechanical, electrical, systems, propulsion)
- 8+ years full-time recruiting experience
- Agency and in-house recruiting experience
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment supporting high-performing teams
- Strong communication skills with hiring managers, candidates, and external partners
- Previous experience sourcing for highly technical and niche roles
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.
