About this job

Rocket Lab is the global leader in dedicated small satellite launch. Launching from right here in New Zealand, we design and build innovative technology to give small satellites a premium ride to orbit.

Small satellites play a crucial role in our day-to-day lives – they connect us, keep us safe, help us understand our planet and manage our impact on it, and they enable us to innovate and explore. There are endless possibilities for what we can achieve with better access to space, and that access is now a reality thanks to Rocket Lab.

Our relentlessly innovative team is behind Electron, the world’s only truly commercial small satellite launch vehicle in operation today. With multiple orbital launches under our belt and a record of 100% mission success, we’re opening access to space to improve life on Earth. We’ve built a world class team with a reputation for doing the impossible. Collaboration is at our core – every idea is heard and everyone makes a difference.  Every day, we pursue ideas that challenge, excite and demand more of us, and we make them real. Be a part of it.

About the team

Rocket Lab’s analysis team contributes to the development of Electron by using modelling and simulation to solve challenging problems involving structures, fluid flow, and thermodynamics.  Whether it is using FEA to optimise the mass of a composite structure, CFD to predict the aerodynamic forces and heating on the vehicle during ascent, or data analysis to demonstrate vehicle performance, analysis is critical to the development of a robust launch vehicle.

Responsibilities

As a Loads & Environments Analyst in Rocket Lab’s Analysis team you will work directly with flight and stack test data to identify and resolve vehicle anomalies before they occur; determine, margin, and curate the environments experienced by vehicle components; and provide ongoing support for automation activities within the analysis team.

Profile

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering or similar field
• 2+ year’s industry experience, ideally from the Aerospace, Automotive or Marine industries
• Strong understanding of physical principles (heat transfer, vibroacoustics, electronics, mechanics of materials etc.)
• Demonstrated expertise in object oriented Python programming
• Demonstrated expertise in the use of Python packages: numpy, pandas, scipy, matplotlib
• Demonstrated experience with sensor selection and data post-processing/ interpretation (accelerometers, strain gauges, thermocouples, microphones etc.)
• Familiarity using Solidworks CAD and PDM packages (or comparable industry standard packages) with emphasis on model interrogation and defeaturing for subsequent analyses
• The ability to work to deadlines within a high pressure environment
• Proven communication skills and the ability to build strong working relationships with colleagues and engineering professionals