Combustion Devices Engineer

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.

NEUTRON 

Neutron is a medium-lift launch vehicle being developed by Rocket Lab, a publicly traded end-to-end space company. The rocket can deliver the mega constellations of tomorrow, enable interplanetary payloads, and support human spaceflight. As a reusable platform, Neutron will deliver a very cost-effective and reliable launch solution leveraging Rocket Lab’s proven history with Electron – the third most launched rocket, worldwide, in 2024. If you’re interested in joining an incredible team in a fast-paced and rewarding environment, this is your opportunity. 

PRINCIPAL COMBUSTION DEVICES ENGINEER

Based out of Rocket Lab's headquarters in Long Beach, CA, the Principal Combustion Devices Engineer will be responsible for the development of one or more combustion devices (preburners, main injectors, thrust chambers assemblies and vacuum nozzles). These devices are an integral portion of the 200,000 lbf Archimedes engine, which operates in a demanding but efficient ox-rich, staged combustion architecture.

In this role, you’ll take ownership of all aspects of a component: design and analysis, manufacturing and test support, and successful flights and subsequent, high-cadence, re-flights. By doing so, you will help propel the Neutron rocket, expanding human capabilities in space and providing value to the company and its shareholders.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO: 

• Design, analyze, and perform trades studies to achieve programmatic targets. 
• Define requirements, test and flight qualification plans.  
• Work with the interface owners, like turbomachinery and engine systems teams, to make a high-end product that could be iterated fast and seamlessly.
• Work with manufacturing and build engineers to design easily manufacturable, cost-effective, beautiful parts.
• Work with the test and launch teams to interpret data and provide solutions to enable a high cadence – of tests, flights and re-flights. 

PRINCIPAL COMBUSTION DEVICES ENGINEER, YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent 
• 12+ years of combustion device design experience
• In-depth knowledge of combustion and fluid dynamics, heat transfer and structural mechanics.