People Matter

Senior Avionics Engineer

Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab

Auckland, New Zealand
Posted on Thursday, May 4, 2023

About The Role

Rocket Lab is a vertically integrated provider of small launch services, satellites, and spacecraft components. Our mission is to open access to space to improve life on Earth. Our team is over 1,500 people strong and we’re adding to it every week. Collaboration is at our core – every idea is heard, and everyone makes a difference. Teams are nimble, decisions are made quickly, and we are action oriented.

About Rocket Lab


Rocket Lab is the global leader in small satellite launch. Our mission is to open access to space to improve life on Earth. 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. Collaboration is at our core - every idea is heard, and everyone makes a difference. Teams are nimble, decisions are made quickly, and we are action-oriented.


While other companies talk about it, we do it!

About the role

The purpose of the Senior Avionics Test Engineer role is to characterize how electronic circuits behave under the harshest of conditions and make critical decisions to approve use of electronic components on launch vehicles, spacecraft, and ground support equipment alike. You will be responsible for developing novel and streamlined test systems for mission-critical avionics and software and see this through to the production line. Your role includes the development of new test systems from the ground up including software and custom electronics. This includes but is not limited to flight computers, power electronic systems, high-voltage components, FPGAs, RF systems, and components used in guidance, navigation, and control. Our fundamental goal is to ensure our payloads reach orbit on time, every time. Your role working with avionics hardware is critical to this mission, and the main line of defence to ensure the quality and reliability in a fast-paced production environment.

Essential skills

  • Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline
  • 5+ years relevant industry experience.
  • 5+ years of experience with hardware development or electronics test engineering.
  • 3+ years of programming experience, preferably in Python, LabView, or C/C++

Desired Skills

  • Experience in analysing circuits and developing functional test plans.
  • Understanding of electronic circuits, design principles, and manufacturing techniques to analyse and improve test coverage
  • Understanding and experience in environmental design testing, such as vibration, shock, thermal, and TVAC.
  • Familiarity with National Instruments platforms including DAQ, PXI, and cRIO.
  • Understanding of instrumentation, interfaces and sensors including power supplies, oscilloscopes, serial devices, switch topologies, accelerometers, thermocouples, RTDs, and 4-20mA sensors.

Rocket Lab Employee Benefits

  • The opportunity to work on innovative and ground breaking technology
  • An employee stock purchase program
  • Access to world leading experts to develop your career
  • Unlimited barista coffee, fruit, and snacks
  • Rocket Lab merchandise – T-shirts, mission patches etc.
  • Discounted health insurance with Southern Cross
  • Additional parental leave entitlements
  • A vibrant team culture with social activities throughout the year

If the above sounds like you apply now!

Important information:

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15) or eligible to obtain the required authorizations fromthe U.S Department of State.

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.

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.

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