Principal Electric Propulsion Engineer
$162,000–$243,000 year
On-siteLong Beach, California, United States
Job Summary
Own development of new or existing electric propulsion products or systems, acting as technical lead to guide teams through end-to-end development. Perform conceptual and detailed performance calculations, systems modeling, analysis, and design while managing requirements gathering and definition. Lead systems engineering activities, execute test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis, and communicate with internal and external stakeholders. Make technical risk-based decisions on solutions, manage project schedules and priorities, and mentor team members on technical and professional growth. Define standards of excellence through documentation, training, and code reviews, and contribute to engineering process development. This role supports Rocket Lab's Space Systems division on civil, commercial, and defense missions including NASA programs and the Electron rocket.
Required Qualifications
- 12+ years of experience in propulsion system development, or equivalent high-performance field
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, (aerospace, mechanical, mechatronics, or other technical engineering discipline)
- Expertise in propulsion system modelling, static and transient analysis, and model validation using test data using software such as Amesim, EcosimPro, Simulink, or Simscape
- Experience with end-to-end development process including gathering requirements, detailed design, qualification, production, and acceptance testing
- Strong grasp of all steps in the Systems Engineering V and risk-based decision making
- Experience working on electric propulsion systems
- U.S. citizenship
- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
Desired Qualifications
- A genuine passion for engineering, curious mindset, and willingness to learn
- Comfortable working with high levels of ambiguity
- Makes decisions using basic engineering principles, available literature and standards, technical risk assessments, test data, and physics-based models
- Practice in identifying the necessary steps to achieve high level technical goals, scheduling them in a plan, and managing delivery against that plan
- Experience with Jama
- Capabilities using Python for data manipulation and post-processing
- Detailed mechanical design experience using NX (preferred) or equivalent industry standard CAD software
- Experience with GD&T and engineering drawings
- Experience using Product Lifecycle Management software such as Teamcenter (preferred), Windchill, or similar
- Experience using National Instruments data acquisition systems
- Experience with testing and troubleshooting flight hardware
- Masters or PhD
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work well within a team environment
- Demonstrated hands on engineering skills, inside or outside the workplace
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