Senior Composites Manufacturing Engineer I

SPACE SYSTEMS

Rocket Lab’s Space Systems team is responsible for every satellite and satellite component made by Rocket Lab: from complete satellites destined for missions to the Moon and Mars, to the individual components and subsystems that make up a satellite like solar panels, flight software, reaction wheels and star trackers, separation systems, radios, and more. Our Space Systems team is made up of engineers, technicians, and designers who design, create, and put together our own satellites for missions across the commercial, government, and defense sectors, or who build and assemble satellite hardware and software that supports other satellite missions.

SENIOR COMPOSITES MANUFACTURING ENGINEER I

Based at Rocket Lab's site in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Senior Composites Manufacturing Engineers facilitate and optimize production of solar products and sub-systems for a high-growth, high-consequence production environment, ensuring best-practice manufacturing principles are employed to meet stringent deadlines. Join a driven team of pioneers relentlessly tackling challenging projects, delivering on the impossible, and making an impact on the future of space!

WHAT YOU'LL GET TO DO:

• Work on ground-breaking products and processes. Introduce innovate manufacturing equipment and processes to the Production floor. Touch a satellite going to space!
• Take ownership of Spacecraft composite production lines
• Supporting build of Spacecraft composite structures in a hands-on capacity
• Practicing continuous improvement and lean manufacturing techniques
• Managing project timelines
• Understanding technical and program risks
• Leading non-conformance and root cause analysis investigations
• Creating technical documentation
• Advising on design improvements for components, subsystems, procedures, equipment and tooling
• Work within a rapidly growing Space Systems team
• Work with highly motivated, enthusiastic professionals in a fun and supportive environment. Opportunity for growth
• If you bring experience within a regulated manufacturing industry, this would be advantageous.

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Mechanical, Materials, Manufacturing, Industrial or Aerospace Engineering
• 5+ years of hands-on experience within a Composites manufacturing environment
• Knowledge of composite materials, manufacturing processes, testing techniques, and design techniques, including prepreg layup, machining, and structural assembly bonding.
• Proven ability to deliver KPI’s (with little to no supervision) on schedule, as an individual or as a member of an integrated team

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Can-do approach and flexibility to thrive around growing teams and processes
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Proven risk assessment and risk-based decision-making skills
• Working experience with destructive and non-destructive testing of composite materials and subassemblies.  
• Working experience with environmental acceptance/production acceptance testing, such as vibration, shock, thermal and vacuum 
• Knowledge of composite related material properties including resin systems, structural bonding adhesives, and sandwich structures. 
• Experience with composite structure repair techniques and processes 
• Experience in manufacturing and assembly of composite structures into larger assemblies. 
• Knowledge of production quality metrics 
• Experience with ERP/PLM Systems - Siemens Team Center/Infor LN
• Experience in configuration control and configuration management in production systems 
• Demonstrated experience with DFMEA, PFMEA methodologies, Fault Tree Analysis, Pareto analysis, root cause and corrective actions 
• Proven ability to deliver new product implementation activities on time and to budget 
• Familiar with engineering change processes and implementation in production environments
• Understanding of process qualification theory

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus.
• Regularly required to sit, use hands and fingers, operate computer keyboard and controls, and communicate verbally and in writing.
• Must be physically able to commute to buildings
• Occasional exposure to dust, fumes and moderate levels of noise.