About the Job
Rocket Lab’s Supply Chain team is responsible for the flow of all materials, products, and components through the business. With many of our own products functioning as critical components to our own and our customers’ missions, the Supply Chain team has a direct impact on the success of our rocket and satellite pro...
SENIOR SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER I /II - ELECTRICAL
Based out of Rocket Lab's headquarters in Long Beach, CA, the Senior Supplier Development Engineer I/II – Electrical is the primary technical owner of the supply base for a broad portfolio of electrical hardware. This role is responsible for leading the end-to-end industrialization of suppliers from source selection...
Key Responsibilities
Lead end-to-end supplier industrialization for electrical hardware from source selection and process qualification through NPI, PPAP, and rate production ramp.
Partner with procurement and engineering to identify, evaluate, and select suppliers based on process capability, quality systems, and capacity across PCB manufacturing, SMT (Surface Mount Technology), wire harness assembly, connector production, and electro-mechanical integration.
Conduct supplier capability assessments during qualification phases, evaluating tooling maturity, measurement systems, process controls, and workforce qualification against program requirements.
Lead Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews with design engineering at the earliest program stage, providing actionable feedback on PCB layout, component selection, trace routing, tolerance stack-ups, and design characteristics that drive cost or quality risk.
Own the APQP process at suppliers, driving completion of all quality planning deliverables — process flow, PFMEA, control plan, MSA/GR&R, and dimensional results — on schedule and to the required standard.
Drive the PPAP program as a production readiness gate; define required submission levels, disposition supplier packages, and ensure process capability (Cpk) is demonstrated on critical and significant characteristics to enable at-rate production.
Lead First Article Inspection (FAI) activities at suppliers and in coordination with internal quality teams; ensure all findings are resolved to closure within project timelines.
Identify systemic performance gaps; own supplier improvement plans and drive measurable progress against quality, cost, delivery, and capacity targets.
Lead root cause and corrective action (RCCA) for supplier quality issues and escapes, applying structured problem-solving methods (8D, 5-Why) and validating that corrective actions are robust and sustained across all applicable parts and production lines.
Apply lean manufacturing and statistical quality tools — including SPC, Cpk trending, and process audits — to drive continuous improvement across the electrical supply base and eliminate sources of recurring defect.
Required Skills & Abilities
Minimum 5 years’ experience working in a regulated industry (Aerospace, Medical, Automotive, Industrial, or similar).
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
Working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, and statistical process capability (Cpk/Ppk).
Experience conducting DFM reviews and translating design intent into manufacturing and quality requirements.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, schematics, wiring diagrams, and PCB layouts.
Minimum 8 years’ experience working in a regulated industry (Aerospace, Medical, Automotive, Industrial, or similar).
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
Working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, and statistical process capability (Cpk/Ppk).
Experience conducting DFM reviews and translating design intent into manufacturing and quality requirements.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, schematics, wiring diagrams, and PCB layouts.
Beyond technical qualifications, we are looking for someone who:
Owns problems all the way to resolution — doesn’t hand off and walk away.
Is proactive at suppliers, not reactive; identifies risks before they become escapes.
Can translate complex engineering requirements into clear, actionable supplier expectations.
Builds genuine working relationships with supplier technical teams and earns trust through competence.
Communicates with clarity and urgency across internal engineering, procurement, quality, and program management.
Thrives in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment and makes high-quality decisions under schedule pressure.
Brings intellectual curiosity about manufacturing — enjoys spending time on the shop floor understanding how things are made.
Work Authorization
Citizenship of AU / NZ / EU / NATO
