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Rocket Lab Corporation

Senior Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer I - Secret Clearance

Rocket Lab Corporation · Long Beach, CA

Posted 15 days 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
15 days
Rocket Lab Corporation's roles stay open a median of 42 days
Reposted
No
Salary listed
No
0% of Rocket Lab Corporation's roles list one
Ghost-job risk at Rocket Lab Corporation
low
0 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
2026-09-17

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 Senior Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Engineer at Rocket Lab, you will lead the development of propulsion systems for spacecraft, overseeing both system-level and component-level engineering tasks. Your responsibilities will include performance calculations, systems modeling, test planning, and project management, while also mentoring team members and ensuring high standards of engineering excellence. You will work closely with internal and external stakeholders to drive projects from concept through to execution, particularly for civil, commercial, and defense missions.

Our read on this posting3.6out of 5
benefits
5/5
freshness
4/5
career value
4/5
role clarity
5/5
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 degree in engineering (aerospace, mechanical, mechatronics, or other technical discipline)
  • 5+ years of experience in propulsion system development, or other high-performance field
  • Active Secret clearance with TS/SCI eligibility
  • US citizenship is required, due to program requirements
  • Expertise in propulsion system modelling, static and transient analysis, and model validation using test data software such as Amesim, EcosimPro, Simulink, or Simscape
  • Experience with end-to-end development process, including gathering requirements, detailed design, qualification, production, and acceptance testing

Nice to have

  • A genuine passion for engineering, curious mindset, and willingness to learn
  • Demonstrated hands-on engineering skills, inside or outside the workplace
  • Comfortable working with high levels of ambiguity
  • Ability to make decisions using basic engineering principles, available literature and standards, technical risk assessments, test data, and physics-based models
  • Practice in identifying the necessary steps to achieve high level technical goals, scheduling them in a plan, and managing delivery against that plan

What you get

  • Anticipated annual equity grant value
  • Competitive base pay
  • Company stock as part of total compensation package
  • Employee Stock Purchase Program (with a 15% discount on company stock)
  • Top-tier medical plans (HMO, PPO, and a zero cost HDHP option with a significant HSA company contribution)
  • Dental and vision coverage

Worth weighing

  • No specific mention of remote work options
  • The role requires active security clearance which may limit candidate pool
  • The position involves working under pressure and tight deadlines
  • The salary range is broad and may vary significantly based on experience and qualifications

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 2026-09-17. PitchMeAI is not the employer.

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