Senior Propulsion and Fluids Test Engineer
Rocket Lab's Space Systems team in Auckland is hiring a Senior Propulsion and Fluids Test Engineer to own propulsion components and fluid systems from concept through qualification to production. Day to day, the role involves designing, building, and operating test rigs, planning and executing instrumented test campaigns, analyzing data (LabVIEW, Python), troubleshooting hardware, and mentoring en
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Auckland, NZ
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Senior
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- Not specified
- Category
- Qa
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Degree in Mechatronic Engineering
- Proven experience developing and testing propulsion, fluid, or other high-performance hardware
- Strong hands-on background with instrumentation, data acquisition, and test execution
- Experience working across the full development lifecycle, from requirements through to production
- Confidence operating in ambiguity and making sound, first-principles engineering decisions
- Experience with LabVIEW (or similar) and data analysis tools
- ITAR eligibility for NZ role: citizenship of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the EU, or a NATO country; no ineligible dual citizenship
Nice to have
- Background in aerospace testing (vibration, thermal, vacuum, leak, or life testing)
- Python for data analysis or modelling experience
- Advanced degree (Masters or PhD)
Full description
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.
SPACE SYSTEMS
At Rocket Lab, we’re not just launching rockets - we're building the future of space. Our Space Systems team builds everything from complete spacecraft, precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space, like solar panels, flight software, star trackers, optical systems, separation systems, radios, and more.
Our Space Systems team has enabled more than 1,700 missions, ranging from interplanetary exploration, in-space manufacturing to national security and defense initiatives. The team has built spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions to the Moon and Mars, working with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force. Whether it’s a single high-performance spacecraft, constellation, or the vertically integrated components that help them get to space — our world class Space Systems team is empowering some of the boldest and most ambitious space missions.
SENIOR PROPULSION AND FLUIDS TEST ENGINEER
At Rocket Lab, the systems you work on don’t sit on a shelf - they launch, operate in orbit, and support real missions. From deep space exploration to Earth observation, the work here has weight.
If you've designed a test rig, built it with your own hands, and seen it through to operation, we want to hear from you.
We’re hiring a Senior Propulsion and Fluids Test Engineer to join our Space Systems team in Auckland.
WHAT YOU'LL GET TO DO:
- Own propulsion components and fluid systems from concept through qualification to production
- Design, build, and operate test setups to validate hardware performance
- Plan and execute test campaigns, including instrumentation, data collection, and analysis
- Troubleshoot and resolve hardware issues that emerge during development and testing
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop new systems and improve existing designs
- Navigate technical challenges across development, qualification, and production phases
- Review and approve test plans and reports to maintain engineering standards
- Guide risk-based decision-making for propulsion and fluid systems