Lead cross-site ground systems projects from design through launch and operations

Team Lead - Ground Systems

Auckland, NZ

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.

Rocket Lab is a global leader in launch and space systems. Our mission is to open access to space to improve life on Earth. We design, build, and launch advanced rockets and spacecraft, enabling innovative missions for commercial, civil, defense, and academic customers. Join us as we build the future of space.

What You'll Get To Do:

Engineering Leadership

  • Lead a team of engineers delivering projects across production tooling, ground support equipment, and test and launch infrastructure
  • Act as a subject matter expert and technical decision maker in design for manufacturing, testing, quality control, risk assessment, and productivity
  • Drive robust planning and resource allocation to deliver projects to aggressive deadlines

Engage with a Global Organization

  • Collaborate with diverse teams across the Neutron program to support development, production, test, and operational needs
  • Priorities and manage delivery of capital projects to introduce new capabilities and refine existing ones as we scale production and launch cadence
  • Deliver projects and capabilities across multiple sites in New Zealand and the USA

People Leadership

  • Mentor, coach, and develop the team's capability and culture of ownership and execution
  • Manage professional development for engineers and recruit new talent as required

You'll Bring These Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing engineering, or related technical field
  • 6+ years of engineering design experience
  • 1+ years in engineering management, team management, project management, or similar
  • Proven ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven environment

These Qualifications Would Be Nice To Have:

  • Experience with large tooling, equipment, or structure design; launch pad systems; or industries such as oil & gas, process, or mining
  • Familiarity with NASA, ASME, ASTM, IEC, or AS/NZS standards
  • Working knowledge of Siemens NX/Teamcenter
  • Experience with project management software (e.g., Jira, Confluence)
  • Experience with structural analysis, including hand calculations and Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
  • Experience with Process and Instrumentation Diagrams and wiring diagrams
  • Demonstrated leadership competencies

We offer a dynamic, fast-paced environment where innovation and ambition are encouraged. You'll work with some of the brightest minds in the industry, contribute to world-first missions, and help shape the future of space.

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