Rocket Lab USA
Senior Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer - Mission Formulation
East Long Beach, Los Angeles County · Senior · full-time
Stay score
odds of building a lasting career here
Sponsors, but it's cap-subject — you still face the weighted lottery (~45% per draw at Level III). Good if you win; have a cap-exempt backup on your list.
Lottery odds assume a STEM candidate.
Personalize to your clock →H-1B wage level
the lottery is wage-weighted — each level is one more entry
$19,290 more — $144,290 — moves this role to Level IV and 4 lottery entries. That figure is inside the range the employer already advertised.
Based on the DOL prevailing wage for this occupation and worksite, a base salary of $144,290 would place this position at wage Level IV. That figure is within the posted range, and I'd like to target it. This role classifies under "Mechanical Engineers" for prevailing-wage purposes.
DOL prevailing wage, 2026-27 wage year · Mechanical Engineers (17-2141) · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA. Wage level is derived by USCIS from the offered wage, occupation and worksite; the occupation shown is inferred from the job title.
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About the role
- Level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
- Base salary is just one component of our total rewards package at Rocket Lab.
- Other perks include: Discounted employee stock purchase program, subsidized EV charging stations, onsite gym, food and drinks, and other discounts.
Responsibilities
- We thrive under pressure, work to tight deadlines, and our focus is always on how we can deliver, rather than dwelling on the challenges that stand in the way.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering
- 5+ years of mechanical engineering experience in the aerospace industry
- Experience supporting satellite and/or spacecraft development programs
- Experience with CAD modeling and drawing
- US citizenship is required, due to program requirements
- 8+ years of mechanical engineering experience in the aerospace industry
Nice to have
- Active security clearance
- Master's or PhD in mechanical or aerospace engineering
- or other technical engineering discipline
- Exceptional mechanical mechanism problem-solving skills
- Hands-on development and testing experience
- Experience with analysis and interpretation of test data (thermal, vibe)
- Thorough understanding of the space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics
- Experience with requirement management tools such as JAMA or DOORS
Compensation
- $125,000 - $175,000 USD
- This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment at Rocket Lab, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Equal opportunity
- Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for the application/interview process for a job in the United States should contact Giulia Johnson at g.biow@rocketlabusa.com.
Visa & Work Authorization
- US citizenship is required, due to program requirements
This listing is sourced directly from Rocket Lab USA's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.