Lead Fluid Test Engineer

Rocket Lab USA - Long Beach, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

Long Beach, CA

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

About the position

The Lead Fluid Test Engineer at Rocket Lab is responsible for developing and leading a team to establish component test stands for the Neutron program. This role involves supporting the Director of Manufacturing and the Neutron Development organization by overseeing the assembly and testing of Neutron stands, ensuring they meet stringent requirements, and driving continuous improvement initiatives within the team.

Responsibilities

• Coach, mentor and develop engineers to achieve new heights in their careers.
• Perform weekly, quarterly and yearly reviews with their direct employees.
• Interview and hire candidates to fill new roles.
• Create team goals and metrics to drive continuous improvement projects.
• Lead/organize meetings as necessary to drive project completion.
• Lead design & build of the Neutron & Archimedes Components test area in Long Beach.
• Develop software for environmental testing and simulation.
• Own assembly, checkouts and development testing of Neutron Component testing stands.
• Develop the procedures & processes for component/engine tests that will form the baseline for the Neutron program into the future.
• Lead problem containment and root cause/corrective action investigations, when required.
• Quickly analyze and resolve manufacturing discrepancies and non-conformances.
• Collaborate with the quality team to identify and drive quality-related initiatives and improvements.
• Perform structured root cause analysis of in-process failures.
• Liaison between production, quality, supply chain and design engineering staff for complex problem solving and process changes.
• Identify, plan and execute capital equipment, machine, and layout upgrades to meet production requirements, including preparation of business cases.
• Lead the continuous improvement process via Lean/Six Sigma tools and techniques.
• Develop, introduce, and maintain new planning, production, quality, ERP, data collection and analysis, and other processes where none exist.
• Develop and implement equipment maintenance plans for all test based equipment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering or other technical field.
• 5+ years experience troubleshooting valves, actuators, regulators or similar fluid components during assembly, functional checkouts or while undergoing development and qualification testing.
• 1+ years of personnel leadership experience.
• Experience developing and building safe, high pressure, pneumatic, hydrostatic, and cryogenic test stands.
• Experience with instrumentation, controls, and data acquisition systems.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's or PhD in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering or other technical field.
• 8+ years experience troubleshooting valves, actuators, regulators, cryogenic systems or similar.
• Experience with aerospace component design, build & testing.
• Previous history of planning, building, activating & operating component test stands for development, qualification and production acceptance testing.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes common to fluid components.
• Experience with LabVIEW, Python, C, C++, MATLAB.
• Extensive experience using fundamentals of fluid and structural mechanics to solve component issues in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

• Top tier medical HMO, PPO & a 100% company-sponsored medical HSA plan option.
• Dental and vision coverage.
• 3 weeks paid vacation and 5 days sick leave per year.
• 11 paid holidays per year.
• Flexible spending and dependent care savings accounts.
• Paid parental leave.
• Disability insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Access to a 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Discounted employee stock purchase program.
• Subsidized EV charging stations.
• Onsite gym, food and drinks, childcare concierge, and other discounts.