Team Lead - Electron Vehicle Development

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.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Electron Vehicle Development team owns the structures, mechanisms, and fluids systems that make Electron fly. The team generates, analyses, and implements new designs and design improvements across the vehicle. It works closely with Production, Program Management, and the wider Electron Engineering group to make every vehicle better, cheaper, and lower risk than the last.

As Team Lead, your job is to build and lead a high-performing team of Vehicle Development Engineers. You'll succeed through your people: setting direction, developing talent, removing roadblocks, and creating an environment where engineers do their best work and deliver with the right level of rigour. You'll make the tough prioritisation and risk/reward calls, represent the team across the business, and act as deputy to the Electron Engineering Manager whenever needed.

YOU'LL GET TO:

Lead & Grow

• Lead, motivate, and develop a team of engineers, building a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Hire, onboard, and grow great engineers, shaping the team's capability for the future
• Set clear expectations, give regular feedback, and run effective performance management, including addressing underperformance early and fairly
• Build career development plans and coach engineers to grow technically, professionally, and as future leaders
• Identify single points of failure in the team and remove them through cross-training, succession planning, and developing capable deputies

Set Direction & Deliver

• Build and refine the team's strategic plan, aligned with management and business goals
• Prioritise competing development projects to get the best outcomes for the business and deliver team and department AOPs
• Own the team's delivery across structures, mechanisms, and fluids projects so work lands on time, to requirements, and with appropriate engineering rigour
• Establish and continuously improve the team's processes, including project management, design review, and engineering change approval
• Coach the team in lean project management and in delivering a positive return on investment

Make the Calls

• Make risk/reward trade calls using engineering, program, and production input to protect both the rocket and the business
• Make sure the team identifies risk early, puts mitigations in place, and verifies they hold for future vehicles
• Hold the team to high standards of quality, driving down defects and time lost to non-conformances caused by vehicle system design
• Make sure manufacturing discrepancies and non-conformances are resolved quickly by the right people

Connect & Influence

• Act as the interface between Program Management and Production so vehicle configuration requirements are delivered on time
• Lead risk reduction, cost saving, performance improvement, and engineer-to-order initiatives across team boundaries
• Give the wider business clear visibility of status, blockers, and the decisions needed to move forward
• Resolve conflict and build alignment across teams through influence and clear communication

YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:

CORE REQUIREMENTS:

• Degree in aerospace, mechanical, or mechatronic engineering, or an equivalent qualification
• 5+ years in a mechanical engineering environment, including at least 2 years directly leading and developing a team of engineers
• A proven track record of building, growing, and retaining high-performing teams
• Experience managing performance, including setting goals, giving feedback, and addressing underperformance
• Strong prioritisation and delivery skills, with a track record of leading multiple projects to successful outcomes
• Sufficient technical breadth across structures, mechanisms, or fluids to understand engineering trade-offs, challenge your team, and make sound risk decisions
• Systems-level thinking and sound judgement under uncertainty
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels

BONUS POINTS FOR:

• Experience leading engineering teams in a production or high-rate manufacturing environment
• Experience as quality approver or SME for engineering change
• Experience resolving non-conformances in a production environment
• Experience leading cost saving initiatives with a measurable return
• Experience building strategic plans and presenting metrics that steer business decisions
• Experience developing engineers into leaders or deputies
• Familiarity with GD&T, test, and measurement best practice

EXPECTATIONS:

• Ownership mentality: you take responsibility for your team's decisions, attitude, and results
• People first: you measure your success by the success and growth of your team
• Thrive under pressure and tight deadlines, adapting quickly when priorities change
• Balance speed with quality, moving quickly while maintaining appropriate rigour
• No task is beneath you. Roll up your sleeves and do what's needed for mission success
• A "How can I help?" mindset. Approachable, positive, and focused on making others better
• Ready to step in as deputy for the Engineering Manager at any time, for any length of time
• Domestic and international travel may be required

WHAT TO EXPECT 

We’re on a mission to unlock the potential of space to improve life on Earth, but that’s not an easy task. It takes hard work, determination, relentless innovation, teamwork, grit, and an unwavering commitment to achieving what others often deem impossible. Our people out-think, out-work, and out-pace. We pride ourselves on having each other’s backs, checking our egos at the door, and rolling up our sleeves on all tasks big and small. 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.   

Important information:

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Rocket Lab Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable. Learn more about ITAR here.

Rocket Lab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. 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.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for the application/interview process for a job in the United States should contact Giulia Johnson at [email protected].This dedicated resource is intended solely to assist job seekers with disabilities whose disability prevents them from being able to apply/interview. Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN NEW ZEALAND OFFICES ONLY:

For security reasons, background checks will be undertaken prior to any employment offers being made to an applicant.  These checks will include nationality checks as it is a requirement of this position that you be eligible to access equipment and data regulated by the United States' International Traffic in Arms Regulations. 

Under these Regulations, you may be ineligible for this role if you do not hold citizenship of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the European Union, or a country that is part of NATO, or if you hold ineligible dual citizenship or nationality.  For more information on these Regulations, click here ITAR Regulations.