Team Lead - Electron Vehicle Development

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.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Electron Vehicle Development team owns the structures, mechanisms, and fluids systems that make Electron fly. The team generates, analyses, and implements new designs and design improvements across the vehicle, working closely with Production, Program Management, and the wider Electron Engineering group to make every vehicle better, cheaper, and lower risk than the last.

As Team Lead, you'll lead a team of Vehicle Development Engineers and deliver engineering projects that meet requirements, on time and with the right level of engineering rigour. This is a hands-on leadership role. You'll set priorities, unblock your team, make the risk/reward calls, and act as deputy to the Electron Engineering Manager whenever needed.

Own & Ship

• Lead day-to-day delivery of vehicle engineering projects across structures, mechanisms, and fluids systems
• Act as subject matter expert and quality approver for all engineering change within the Vehicle Development team
• Contribute to design reviews, ensuring workflows, processes, and products meet internal and external standards and best practice
• Drive right-first-time GD&T and a lean, efficient approach to project management

Solve & Fix

• Quickly analyse and resolve manufacturing discrepancies and non-conformances
• Drive down quality defects and time lost to non-conformances caused by vehicle system design
• Assess risk before it happens, put mitigations in place, and verify they hold for future vehicles
• Make risk/reward trade calls using engineering, program, and production input to protect both the rocket and the business

Lead & Scale

• Lead risk reduction, cost saving, performance improvement, and engineer-to-order projects across team boundaries
• Prioritise competing development projects to get the best outcomes for the business and deliver team and department AOPs
• Act as the interface between Program Management and Production so vehicle configuration requirements are delivered on time
• Build and refine the team's strategic plan, aligned with management and business goals

Grow & Deliver

• Lead, motivate, and develop your team, including building performance management plans and improving poor performance
• Coach engineers on technical best practice, lean project management, and how to deliver a positive return on investment
• Identify single points of failure in the team and remove them through cross-training and developing capable deputies
• Give the wider business clear visibility of status, blockers, and the decisions needed to move forward

CORE REQUIREMENTS

• Degree in aerospace, mechanical, or mechatronic engineering, or an equivalent qualification
• 5+ years developing, testing, or analysing mechanical systems
• Strong technical ability in at least one domain of mechanical engineering: materials, structures, mechanisms, or fluids and pneumatics systems
• A strong understanding of signal acquisition and measurement, including error and accuracy
• Sound analytical skills and the ability to think at a systems level
• Good hands-on engineering skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication, and the ability to clearly convey your understanding to others
• A strong leader with a proven ability to deliver results

BONUS POINTS FOR

• Experience leading and developing a team of engineers
• Experience as quality approver or SME for engineering change
• Strong GD&T knowledge and a track record of right-first-time design
• Experience resolving non-conformances in a production environment
• Experience leading cost saving initiatives with a measurable return
• Experience building strategic plans and presenting metrics that steer business decisions
• A track record of driving cross-functional projects and resolving conflict through influence and communication

EXPECTATIONS

• Ownership mentality: you take responsibility for your team's decisions, attitude, and results
• Thrive under pressure and tight deadlines, adapting quickly when priorities change
• Balance speed with quality, moving quickly while maintaining appropriate rigour
• No task is beneath you. Roll up your sleeves and do what's needed for mission success
• A "How can I help?" mindset. Approachable, positive, and focused on making others better
• Ready to step in as deputy for the Engineering Manager at any time, for any length of time
• Domestic and international travel may be required

WHAT TO EXPECT

We’re on a mission to unlock the potential of space to improve life on Earth, but that’s not an easy task. It takes hard work, determination, relentless innovation, teamwork, grit, and an unwavering commitment to achieving what others often deem impossible. Our people out-think, out-work, and out-pace. We pride ourselves on having each other’s backs, checking our egos at the door, and rolling up our sleeves on all tasks big and small. We thrive under pressure, work to tight deadlines, and our focus is always on how we can deliver, rather than dwelling on the challenges that stand in the way.

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY

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 (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable. 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 g.biow@rocketlabusa.com. This dedicated resource is intended solely to assist job seekers with disabilities whose disability prevents them from being able to apply/interview. Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN NEW ZEALAND OFFICES ONLY

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 of this position 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, click here ITAR Regulations.