Job brief: Senior Spacecraft Propulsion Test Engineer II

What JoRoute checked · Checked by JoRoute

• Listed on Rocket Lab's own job board. JoRoute does not take listings from job ads or recruiters.
• First seen by JoRoute 2026-11-04 (2 days ago); last confirmed on the board 2026-11-06.
• The apply link opens job-boards.greenhouse.io, the address Rocket Lab's board gives for this job.
• No other listing with this title and place on this board in the last 90 days.
• No layoff notices (WARN) under this name in the state files JoRoute reads.

What the listing says · Employer's own words, not checked

• Pay: $132,000 to $220,000 a year
• Job type: Not stated
• Where: Long Beach, CA · RL Headquarters
• Posted: 2026-10-28

What the job asks · Employer's own words, not checked

Level: Senior. The title says "Senior".

Must have

• 8+ years of experience in rocket engine test engineering, or equivalent high-performance field
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, (aerospace, mechanical, mechatronics, or other technical engineering discipline)
• Master's or PhD
• Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Rocket Lab Employees must be a U.S.
• as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S.
• 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' Internationa…

Conditions

• Ability to travel to test facilities and work off-site for extended periods

Main duties

• Review and sign off on test plans and test reports, ensuring quality and compliance with requirements
• Support engineers and leadership with risk-based decision making to guide the team through development challenges
• Own the full testing lifecycle, including test planning, setup, instrumentation, execution, data analysis, and reporting
• Communicate regularly and effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, both internal and external to the team
• Contribute to meaningful, career-defining projects alongside exceptional colleagues in a collaborative environment

Lines copied from the posting, not rewritten. "Preferred" or "nice to have" items are not listed as must-haves.

How it compares · Compared by JoRoute from listings

• Typical listed pay for engineer jobs in Long Beach, CA: $160k a year (145 listings, 3 employers). This listing is 10% higher.
• Across Rocket Lab's 457 open listings, 24% of those with a posting date were first posted more than 60 days ago. How Rocket Lab hires

What nobody outside the employer knows · Not known

• Whether the role is already filled or on hold: employers often leave listings up.
• How many people applied, and who reads the applications.
• Where in the published range an offer would land.

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