Mission Assurance Engineer

SPACE SYSTEMS

This is a rare opportunity to play a key role in Rocket Lab’s evolution into an end-to-end space company that delivers launch, spacecraft, and on-orbit operations. The Space Systems Division is shaping Rocket Lab’s future with Photon, our brand of high-performance satellites, enabling innovative missions in low Earth orbit and beyond including missions for NASA to LEO, the Moon, and Mars and commercial customers, including leading the design and manufacture of 17 high-power telecommunication spacecraft buses for Globalstar.

Rocket Lab is also growing our spacecraft components business, anchored on the acquisition of Sinclair Interplanetary manufacturing reaction wheels and star trackers in Toronto, SolAero Technologies manufacturing solar power and primary structure solutions in Albuquerque, Planetary Systems Corporation manufacturing launch separation systems in Silver Spring, and Advanced Solutions, Inc., provider of flight and ground software as a service in Denver. Our components business is key to vertically integrating our spacecraft solutions and enabling constellations for customers.  

MISSION ASSURANCE ENGINEER

Based out of Rocket Lab’s global headquarters in Long Beach, the Mission Assurance Engineer is responsible for carrying out quality and mission assurance for all mission assurance activities under Space Systems. You will support the Space Systems organization, with deliverables required for internal leadership, board of directors, and investors.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO: 

• Work closely with Program/Product Managers and their teams to ensure products meet requirements for mission success
• Develop and implement quality plans based on company procedures, government/industry standards, and best practices to ensure products meet mission/customer requirements
• Develop tools and processes for managing and tracking risks, non-conformances, and component pedigree
• Develop and implement EEE parts requirements
• Provide oversight at technical reviews to ensure that products are being designed based on sound engineering principles
• Provide recommendations to programs and products to improve spacecraft and satellite component quality
• Work with teams to understand and mitigate radiation and other space environment risks
• Support programs as necessary on mission assurance deliverables, reliability analyses, and risk assessments
• Review purchase orders and subcontracts
• Perform inspections at vendors

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS (Note: you must meet every qualification in order to be considered):

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, or other engineering degree
• 3+ years of mission or quality experience
• Experience with spacecraft or satellite development programs

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Advanced degree in engineering
• Understanding of key spacecraft subsystems and their associated components
• Hands-on experience in spacecraft integration and test programs
• Working knowledge of Quality Management Systems IS09001 and AS9100, configuration and data management, and implementation of internal and contractual quality requirements
• Extensive experience with EEE parts and radiation effects for full-lifecycle space hardware electronics design
• Experience with anomaly resolution and root cause analysis
• Previous experience in a mission assurance, program management, or systems engineering role
• Understanding of NASA Class A-D mission assurance requirements
• Experience with environmental testing, such as thermal vacuum or random vibration testing
• Experience with satellite operations
• Extensive knowledge of industry standards, such as SMC-S-021 and/or NASA GEVS