Senior Propulsion and Fluids Test Engineer

Build hardware that actually flies.

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.

We're hiring a Senior Propulsion and Fluids Test Engineer to join our Space Systems team in Auckland.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

This is a hands-on, end-to-end development role. You'll take ownership of propulsion components and fluid systems from early concept through to qualification and production. That means building test setups, running campaigns, analyzing results, and solving the problems that show up when hardware meets reality.

You'll work closely with a multidisciplinary team to develop new systems and improve existing designs - navigating challenges across development, qualification, and production to ensure mission success. Alongside this, you'll help raise the standard: reviewing and signing off test plans and reports, guiding risk-based decisions, and mentoring other engineers.

Day to day, you'll be deep in testing - planning, instrumentation, execution, and analysis, while keeping a systems-level view and communicating clearly with stakeholders across the business.

Real responsibility, real hardware, and the chance to do work that matters. You'll be part of a team that values people who step up, stay close to the detail, and help others succeed.

If you're looking for work that's challenging, tangible, and genuinely impactful, this is it.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

• 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

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)

Apply today!