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.
Have you recently graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, or similar?
If so, we are looking for entry level Manufacturing Engineers across multiple disciplines to 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 rockets.
THE OPPORTUNITIES:
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
In your application, please indicate which discipline(s) align with your experience and interests.
YOU'LL GET TO:
Own & Ship:
Become the expert on products you help build and launch
Help teams hit production goals while maintaining quality
Improve existing products and support new designs
Solve & Fix:
Investigate why things fail and implement fixes
Make calls on whether parts meet flight standards using engineering analysis
Connect production, quality, and design teams to solve problems fast
Build & Improve:
Write clear procedures so production runs smoothly every time
Design reliable hardware and test setups
Create test methods for critical systems
Use Lean/Six Sigma to make things better and faster
Lead & Scale:
Review designs to make sure they're easy to build and test
Help launch new products to the factory floor
Identify equipment needs and build the business case
Set up better systems for planning, quality tracking, and data
Grow & Deliver:
Mentor technicians and newer engineers
Break big projects into manageable pieces and ship them
Run your own projects with minimal oversight
Document wins and lessons learned for the team
YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:
Core requirements (all disciplines):
Recently graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, or similar
Some level of technical experience in a Manufacturing, Production, or Process Engineering environment
Some hands-on experience solving problems in complex manufacturing systems
Ability to effectively deliver on complex assignments with autonomy
Foundational knowledge in complex manufacturing processes
Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
Can-do approach and flexibility to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Additional discipline-specific experience (one or more of):
Avionics & Test: Debugging electro-mechanical systems, understanding of instrumentation and sensors
Composites: Knowledge of advanced composites materials, tooling, and manufacturing processes
Machining: GD&T and inspection methods, CAM software for 3 and 5-axis CNC machines, 2+ years machine shop experience
Assembly & Integration: Experience with mechanical assembly, integration, or test processes
BONUS POINTS FOR:
Experience in aerospace, defense, or high-reliability manufacturing
Lean manufacturing or Six Sigma knowledge
Cross-discipline manufacturing exposure
Experience with ERP/PLM Systems (Siemens Team Center, Infor LN)
Knowledge of production quality metrics
Experience with environmental and production acceptance testing (vibration, shock, thermal, vacuum)
Understanding of instrumentation, interfaces, and sensors (power supplies, oscilloscopes, serial devices, accelerometers, thermocouples, RTDs, 4-20mA sensors)
EXPECTATIONS
Provide solutions and ideas when faced with…