Job brief: Ground Systems Engineer II - Structures & Mechanisms

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: $88,000 to $110,000 a year
• Job type: Not stated
• Where: Wallops Island, VA · Launch Complex 3
• Posted: 2026-08-19 · over 60 days ago

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

Level: Mid level. The posting asks for 2+ years of experience.

Must have

• ABET accredited Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• 2+ years of experience in directly applicable design, testing, and/or operations within the aerospace or industrial sectors.
• 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

• paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave;

Main duties

• Design of launch pad and test site fixed assets including test stands, launch mounts, and gantries.
• Design of launch vehicle support equipment including transportation fixtures, lifting apparatuses, and breakover fixtures.
• Design of large mechanisms including umbilicals, hold downs, and strongbacks.
• Support maintenance program development.
• Collaborate with test and operations team to ensure systems are fully functional.

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 Virginia: $115k a year (79 listings, 26 employers). This listing is 14% lower.
• 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.

Ask before you apply

1. Is this role still open, and when do you hope to fill it?
2. Which of the listed places is this role based in?
3. What are the interview steps, and when should I expect to hear back?

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• 22 more engineer jobs within 25 miles, on the job map with pay.
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