Rocket Lab USA
Lead Manufacturing Engineer - Propulsion
East Long Beach, Los Angeles County · Senior
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
$15,963 more — $139,963 — 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 $139,963 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 "Industrial Engineers" for prevailing-wage purposes.
DOL prevailing wage, 2026-27 wage year · Industrial Engineers (17-2112) · 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
- 4-year engineering degree (Preferably, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical, or Aerospace)
- 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment
- Knowledge in manufacturing processes for aerospace materials
- 3+ years of experience in a leadership position.
- Interface with the quality team to resolve manufacturing engineering quality responsibilities, and when required, lead problem containment and structured root cause & corrective action investigations.
Nice to have
- Advanced engineering degree (Preferably, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical, or Aerospace)
- Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes common to fluid components
- Experience with assembly & testing of turbomachinery and combustion devices
- Experience with designing, implementing, and supporting a production line and/or build area
- Experience with manufacturing processes, including but not limited to TIG, EB and laser welding, heat treating, metal forming, additive manufacturing, CNC machining and precision cleaning
- Experience performing root cause and corrective action projects and PFMEA / DFMEA of manufacturing processes and products
- This position may require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, computer work, and occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.
- We're on a mission to unlock the potential of space to improve life on Earth, but that's not an easy task.
Compensation
- $124,000 - $155,000 USD
- 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.
This listing is sourced directly from Rocket Lab USA's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.