Aerodynamics Analyst - Neutron
About the Role
ABOUT ROCKET LAB
Rocket Lab is the end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems that keep the world connected, protected, expand humanity’s reach to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. We move fast, build real hardware for meaningful missions, and make the impossible routine. Come shape the future with us.
While other companies talk about it, we do it!
NEUTRON
Rocket Lab’s Neutron team is responsible for bringing our new large rocket Neutron and its launch and test sites to life. From designing and testing Neutron’s structures and components, to firing up its new Archimedes engines, to setting up Neutron’s launch pads and test sites across the United States, joining the Neutron team is your opportunity to help launch a new large rocket for the very first time.
AERODYNAMICS ANALYST
We're looking for an Aerodynamics Analyst to join our Thermofluids Analysis team, responsible for predicting the aerodynamics and aerothermal environments Electron & Neutron experience throughout all mission phases.
This role is based in Auckland, New Zealand.
WHAT YOU'LL GET TO DO:
- Generate aerotables and characterise vehicle performance—covering stability, control authority, loads, pressure distributions, and aerodynamic design of vehicle control surfaces
- Perform, validate, and document CFD analyses of external flow across hypersonic, transonic and subsonic regimes, and characterise aerodynamic and heating environments, transients, and separation events
- Model plumes and plume interactions (base heating, PIFS, impingement) and define re-entry architecture, including ballistic coefficients, ConOps, and compartment venting
- Work closely with design and test engineers to iterate design concepts, determine test requirements, and demonstrate positive margins through numerical analysis, and physical test
- Works closely with the GNC team to enable them to safely land and recover Neutron’s 1st Stage
- Process and interpret ground test and flight data—confirming MPE bounds, detecting out-of-family results, and resolving sensor configuration issues
YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:
- A degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or similar field
- 1+ years industry experience, ideally from the Aerospace, Automotive, or Marine industries
- A keen physics and first principles-based approach to problem solving
- Expertise with one or more industry standard CFD packages: Fluent, CFX, STAR-CCM+
- Experience in engineering programming, especially using Python (including Python packages numpy, pandas, scipy, matplotlib, etc.)
- Demonstrated ability executing to changing deadlines in a high-pressure and fast-paced work environment
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