Manager, Mechanical Engineering

About The Role

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.

The 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. The team has built spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions to the Moon and Mars, working with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force.

Manager, Mechanical Engineering

Based on site at Rocket Lab Robotics in Pasadena, CA, the Manager, Mechanical Engineering will lead and support the mechanical engineering function while also contributing technically to programs. This role is intended for a hands-on mechanical engineering leader who can manage people, guide technical execution, support staffing and utilization, and still engage deeply in design, analysis, build, test, and delivery of flight and ground hardware.

• Support utilization, career growth, performance, and well-being of mechanical engineers while helping programs deliver fully validated mechanical and electromechanical systems that meet technical, cost, schedule, and quality targets.

You will support utilization, career growth, performance feedback, career development, resource planning, budgets, and functional priorities across programs.

• Serve as a hands-on technical contributor while leading the team, including developing mechanical concepts, creating and reviewing SolidWorks CAD, performing trade studies, supporting analysis, resolving design issues, and driving hardware through build, test, and delivery.

• Own and lead mechanical design efforts from concept through CAD, analysis, drawing release, procurement, assembly, integration, environmental test, qualification, and delivery.

• Drive technical decisions on mechanical architecture, packaging, interfaces, tolerance strategy, materials, fabrication approach, assembly flow, inspection planning, verification, and design risk.

• Identify technical, schedule, staffing, manufacturing, and test risks; develop mitigation plans to improve program execution and delivery.

Qualifications

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, or another related engineering discipline.
• 8+ years of hands-on mechanical engineering experience, including experience leading development efforts and supporting teams of engineers.
• Proven track record delivering high-reliability or spaceflight hardware from concept through design, build, integration, environmental test, qualification, and delivery.
• Experience managing or technically leading engineers, including prioritization, mentoring, technical review, performance feedback, staffing support, and professional development.
• Strong background in mechanical design, precision mechanisms, robotics, aerospace hardware, tooling, fixtures, ground support equipment, or related systems.
• Experience designing and delivering space mechanisms or similar high-reliability motion systems, including motorized mechanisms, actuators, gimbals, gear trains, harmonic drives, bearings, motors, rotary sensors, springs, release devices, and kinematic or pseudo-kinematic interfaces.
• Strong experience with SolidWorks as the primary CAD tool, including CAD modeling, production drawings, GD&T, tolerance analysis, mechanical analysis, bills of material, and design documentation.
• Hands-on experience supporting hardware assembly, integration, troubleshooting, inspection, environmental test, qualification, and design iteration.

Desired Qualifications

• Direct experience with NASA, JPL, DoD, commercial space, or prime contractor flight programs.
• Experience with robotic manipulators, in-space servicing, planetary robotics, precision spacecraft mechanisms, or similar space robotics systems.
• Experience establishing or scaling a mechanical engineering function, including hiring, technical standards, design review practices, mentoring, resource planning, and engineering process development.
• Experience with AS9100, ISO 9001, NASA standards, configuration management, quality systems, root cause investigations, failure analysis, nonconformance disposition, or test anomaly resolution.
• Strong communication, documentation, presentation, problem-solving, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Pay and Benefits

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,
• sitesubsidized EV charging stations,
• on-site gym,
• food and drinks,
• and other discounts.

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.