Director, Space Vehicle Design

Director, Space Vehicle Design

Based out of Rocket Lab's global headquarters in Long Beach, CA, the Director of Space Vehicle Design is a hands‑on leadership role that reports to the Space Systems Chief Engineer. You will lead a multi‑disciplinary team of mechanical, structural, and thermal engineers; guide and mentor them while working alongside them on spacecraft development programs; and communicate your technical strategy while working cross‑functionally on projects with almost every other engineering team.

Our ideal candidate is someone with a strong mechanical, structural, and thermal engineering background who has previously led spacecraft development programs. They will have expertise in designing, analyzing, building, and testing spacecraft structures and mechanisms, and they will have successfully led engineering teams through challenging projects in a fast‑paced development environment.

What you'll do

• Work directly with the Space Systems Chief Engineer in technical decision‑making processes and guide technical development across the Space Vehicle Design team
• Perform functional management duties with team leads, including 1-on-1s, performance reviews, and supporting their career development
• Provide technical mentorship to team members and monitor technical integrity of all team members’ contributions
• Work with cross‑discipline teams (Supply Chain, Assembly Integration & Test, Production, Quality) to ensure smooth interfaces and handoffs within the greater Space Systems organization
• Work closely with engineers, test engineers, and production to iterate through design concepts, with a focus on design‑for‑manufacture and design‑for‑integration
• Develop and maintain design and analysis standards, documentation templates, test specifications, and other processes for the SVD team

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering; or other technical discipline
• U.S. citizenship is required, due to program requirements
• 12+ years of engineering experience
• Spacecraft/satellite design experience
• 3+ years of experience as a team lead or manager
• Expertise in Siemens NX and Teamcenter
• Expertise in CAD, drafting, and GD&T
• Multiple successes in bringing spacecraft hardware from concept through launch
• Direct experience bringing spacecraft assemblies through environmental testing
• Demonstrable methodological approach to spacecraft design and development programs
• Experience in design and development spacecraft assemblies, space mechanisms and deployables, spacecraft avionics, and/or propulsion systems
• Experience in spacecraft structural dynamics in one or more of the following areas: environments and loads, random vibration, sine vibration, acoustic, and modal testing and/or analysis

Nice to have

• Master’s or PhD in aerospace or mechanical engineering; or other technical discipline
• Comfortable executing on aggressive deadlines within a high‑pressure environment
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Previous experience leading a large and multi‑disciplinary team (20+ engineers)

Benefits & Compensation

Base Pay Range (CA Only): $195,000 – $240,000 USD

• Base salary plus company equity
• Robust benefits package: top tier medical HMO, PPO, 100% company‑sponsored medical HSA, dental, vision, 3 weeks paid vacation, 5 days sick leave, 11 paid holidays, flexible spending, dependent care savings, paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance, 401(k) with company match
• Other perks: discounted employee stock purchase program, subsidized EV charging stations, onsite gym, food and drinks, and other discounts

Legal Notices

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 (Green Card holder), or otherwise eligible. 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 Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.

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 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, ITAR Regulations.