PitchMeAI Jobs
Rocket Lab Corporation

Principal R&D Engineer

Rocket Lab Corporation · Auckland, NZ

Posted about 3 months ago

or apply directly on Rocket Lab Corporation's site. We never take the application ourselves.

Is this posting real?

This role has been open
87 days
Rocket Lab Corporation's roles stay open a median of 85 days
Reposted
No
Salary listed
No
0% of Rocket Lab Corporation's roles list one
Ghost-job risk at Rocket Lab Corporation
high
455 stale, 12 reposted of 455 open
Hiring momentum
683 roles opened in the last 90 days
↑ up vs. the prior 90 days
Last confirmed on the employer's board
2026-10-29

Measured from postings appearing on and disappearing from Rocket Lab Corporation's own greenhouse board since 2026-08-03. Full hiring picture for Rocket Lab Corporation.

About this role

As a Principal R&D Engineer at Rocket Lab, you will play a key role in developing the Neutron platform, focusing on mechanical structures and mechanisms for the launch vehicle. Your responsibilities will include collaborating with various engineering teams, managing projects, and ensuring the design and certification strategies are effectively executed. You will also mentor other engineers and tackle technical challenges in a fast-paced environment.

Our read on this posting2.8out of 5
benefits
5/5
freshness
1/5
career value
4/5
role clarity
4/5
pay transparency
0/5

Scored from the posting itself — how clearly the role is described, how much it says about pay and benefits, and how recently it was listed. Not a judgement of Rocket Lab Corporation as an employer.

What you need

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering (or equivalent experience)
  • 8+ years industry experience in the design, development, and test of material systems in a relevant high performance technical field (i.e. Aviation, Aerospace, Automotive Racing, Defence)
  • Demonstrated experience with metallic materials and process development and qualification
  • Experience in metallic material performance and characteristics
  • Proven communication skills and the ability to build strong working relationships with colleagues and engineering professionals
  • The ability to work to tight deadlines within a high-pressure environment

Nice to have

  • Knowledge of Aerospace standards regarding surface treatment, heat treatment, material composition, corrosion, fracture mechanics
  • Experience with Siemens Team Center / Infor LN
  • Experience transitioning products from prototype to production
  • Experience with soft materials used in structural applications (e.g. -rings, seals, lubricants)
  • Experience in rapid composite tooling design and fabrication

What you get

  • The opportunity to work on innovative and ground-breaking technology
  • Relocation support and visa sponsorship
  • An employee stock purchase program
  • Access to world leading experts to develop your career
  • Unlimited barista coffee, fruit, and snacks
  • Rocket Lab merchandise - T-shirts, mission patches etc.

Worth weighing

  • Position requires thriving in ambiguity and a high-pressure environment
  • No specific salary or compensation details provided
  • Background checks will be conducted prior to employment offers, including nationality checks due to ITAR regulations

Summarised from Rocket Lab Corporation's posting. Read the full original.

Listed by Rocket Lab Corporation on their greenhouse job board, last confirmed open on 2026-10-29. PitchMeAI is not the employer.

More roles at Rocket Lab Corporation

All 455 open roles at Rocket Lab Corporation →