Understand what the ads ask for and how to stand out.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 09/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Rocket Lab Corporation has 86 open mechanical / manufacturing engineer jobs in 6 states, 6 of them posted in the last 7 days.
| Title ⇅ | Open jobs ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Senior Manufacturing Engineer I | 4 |
| Manufacturing Engineer II | 3 |
| Supplier Quality Engineer | 3 |
| Senior Mechanical Engineer II | 3 |
| Mechanical Engineer II | 3 |
| Manufacturing Engineering Intern Summer 2027 | 3 |
| Senior Manufacturing Engineer II | 2 |
| Senior Flight Dynamics Engineer I | 2 |
| Avionics Test and Launch Engineer II | 2 |
| Vehicle Integration Engineer II | 2 |
| Senior Avionics Engineer I | 2 |
| Senior Mechanical Engineer I | 2 |
Most of these ads do not state a level.
82 of 86 listings publish a range. The median range is $100,800 – $161,000 a year (the employer's own figures)
0 of 86 ads mention a remote or flexible location.
Everything about working at Rocket Lab Corporation →All 86 jobs with filters →
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Open jobs ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach | California | 39 | 45% |
| Middle River | Maryland | 13 | 15% |
| Wallops Island | Virginia | 12 | 14% |
| Silver Spring | Maryland | 10 | 12% |
| Pasadena | California | 6 | 7% |
| Tucson | Arizona | 2 | 2% |
| Littleton | Colorado | 2 | 2% |
| Stennis Space Center | Mississippi | 1 | 1% |
| Chantilly | Virginia | 1 | 1% |
We counted how often Rocket Lab Corporation's own 86 ads (those with a full description) state each requirement. This shows the filters the ads apply before anyone reads a resume. We have no data on why candidates are rejected after applying, and we do not guess.
Years of experience. 69 of 86 ads (80%) state a number of years. The median is 5 years; 65% ask for 5 or more and 3% for 10 or more.
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 74 | 86% |
| Master's degree | 34 | 40% |
| 'or equivalent experience' accepted | 19 | 22% |
| PhD or doctorate | 17 | 20% |
| High school diploma or GED | 11 | 13% |
| Associate degree | 3 | 3% |
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. citizenship mentioned | 86 | 100% |
| U.S. person / export-control (ITAR, EAR) rules | 86 | 100% |
| Background check or drug test | 86 | 100% |
| Security clearance mentioned | 18 | 21% |
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Nights, weekends, holidays or on-call | 82 | 95% |
| On-site or in-person work | 63 | 73% |
| Relocation mentioned | 11 | 13% |
| Travel mentioned | 8 | 9% |
| Heavy lifting | 2 | 2% |
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| cad | 39 | 45% |
| python | 20 | 23% |
| solidworks | 12 | 14% |
| jira | 11 | 13% |
| excel | 3 | 3% |
| java | 3 | 3% |
| power bi | 3 | 3% |
| c++ | 2 | 2% |
| linux | 2 | 2% |
| fpga | 2 | 2% |
| tableau | 1 | 1% |
| sql | 1 | 1% |
First, cover the basics the ads ask for most (see the requirements above: cad (45%), python (23%), solidworks (14%), jira (13%)). Then look at what separates higher-paid ads:
Among the 82 ads that publish a pay range, we compared the median pay of ads that name each item with ads that do not. This is a correlation in the ads, not a promise: an item can pay more because it comes with senior roles.
| Item named in the ad ⇅ | Ads naming it ⇅ | Ads not naming it ⇅ | Median pay midpoint with it ⇅ | Difference vs ads without it ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 71 | 11 | $140,238 | +$65,358 |
| 'or equivalent experience' accepted | 18 | 64 | $149,250 | +$21,250 |
| jira | 10 | 72 | $149,250 | +$17,250 |
| Master's degree | 33 | 49 | $143,550 | +$15,550 |
| PhD or doctorate | 16 | 66 | $147,250 | +$15,250 |
| cad | 36 | 46 | $140,238 | +$6,238 |
| python | 18 | 64 | $132,000 | -$2,812 |
| solidworks | 11 | 71 | $126,000 | -$8,000 |
| High school diploma or GED | 10 | 72 | $72,800 | -$70,700 |
We describe only what the ads state. We do not know how recruiters rank candidates.
Where else the same role family is open, with the pay each posts:
| Employer ⇅ | Open mechanical / manufacturing engineer jobs ⇅ | Posted range (median, yearly) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| SpaceX | 405 | not published |
| Apple | 206 | not published |
| Shield AI | 85 | $142,000 – $220,000 |
| Leidos | 47 | not published |
| Vast | 43 | $112,340 – $195,552 |
| Saronic | 36 | not published |
| Esri | 29 | $79,664 – $133,120 |
| Hermeus | 25 | $91,800 – $140,250 |
| Lucid Motors | 24 | $121,900 – $167,640 |
| Divergent | 24 | $111,300 – $204,090 |
| Kairos Power | 20 | not published |
| Muon Space | 19 | not published |
| Flex | 19 | not published |
| Jabil | 18 | not published |
| OpenAI | 15 | $225,000 – $365,000 |
86 open today, 6 posted in the last 7 days.
Mostly in Long Beach, CA (39), Middle River, MD (13), Wallops Island, VA (12).