Facilities Maintenance Manufacturing Engineering Intern

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.

ABOUT THE ROLE 

We're looking for a motivated intern to join our Maintenance team at our Auckland Production Complex. As a Facilities Maintenance Manufacturing Engineer Intern, you will play a key role in developing and implementing standardised maintenance work instructions that will become a permanent part of Rocket Lab's maintenance procedures. 

As we scale our operations to support both Electron and Neutron programmes, we're maturing our maintenance planning processes to include systematic execution of Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) activities. You will create structured work instructions for our technicians, implement them into our CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System), and develop training materials that can be deployed across multiple Rocket Lab sites. 

Your work will directly support our AS9100 aerospace quality standards and help us develop a complete end-to-end production system. You'll work alongside experienced maintenance technicians to validate your instructions in real production environments, iterate based on lessons learned, and create scalable processes for other Rocket Lab facilities. 

This is an opportunity to work on real operational challenges and contribute to missions that are literally reaching for the stars. 

WHAT YOU WILL DO 

Work Instruction Development: 

Collaborate with the maintenance team to establish practical formats for work instructions 

Review equipment location, naming conventions, maintenance tasks, and common components to determine optimal structure 

Create detailed work instructions for PPM activities on all Single Point of Failure equipment 

Develop standardised instructions for common maintenance tasks across production equipment, including in-house calibration procedures 

Document appropriate maintenance checks and procedures for critical manufacturing systems 

Validation & Continuous Improvement: 

Undertake maintenance activities alongside trained technicians to test work instruction functionality and accuracy 

Gather lessons learned from hands-on testing and use feedback to refine work instruction structure 

Iterate on documentation to maximise efficiency, clarity, and record-keeping effectiveness 

CMMS Implementation: 

Release completed work instructions into Rocket Lab's CMMS system 

Collaborate with the EIS (Enterprise Information Systems) team to configure system integration 

Support the technical implementation of work instructions into the CMMS module 

Training & Scalability: 

Create comprehensive training materials to enable other Rocket Lab sites to develop their own work instructions 

Develop a common strategy and templates that can be adopted across multiple facilities 

Create process maps that clearly communicate maintenance workflows 

Reporting & Documentation: 

Support creation of Power BI reports to capture maintenance KPIs within our AS9100 quality structure 

Upload all process documentation to Rocket Lab's information database 

Create comprehensive handover documentation for long-term maintenance of the system 

General Responsibilities: 

Take ownership for completion of tasks personally delivering results 

Commit to and complete tasks within expected time frame, holding yourself accountable 

Manage your own task list and execute allocated tasks to assigned deadlines 

Communicate effectively with peers and stakeholders using appropriate mediums 

Support specific tasks for other teammates when asked and appropriately trained 

Ensure health and safety policies and standard operating procedures are followed 

PROJECT GOALS 

Establish a standardised format and structure for maintenance work instructions in collaboration with the maintenance team 

Create comprehensive work instructions for PPM activities on all Single Point of Failure equipment 

Develop work instructions for common maintenance tasks across remaining production equipment 

Validate work instructions through hands-on testing alongside maintenance technicians in production environments 

Create scalable training materials and templates that enable other Rocket Lab sites to adopt the same work instruction methodology 

Support development of Power BI reports for maintenance KPI tracking aligned with AS9100 requirements 

Stretch Goal: Successfully integrate work instructions into the CMMS module in collaboration with the EIS team 

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR 

MUST HAVE: 

Currently studying or recently completed a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering, or related field 

Strong technical writing and documentation skills 

Ability to create clear, detailed instructions that can be followed by technicians with varying experience levels 

Analytical and problem-solving mindset with attention to detail 

Ability to create process maps and flowcharts 

Comfortable working in a production/manufacturing environment 

Takes ownership and accountability for task completion by delivering results 

Proactive communicator, comfortable seeking clarification and feedback from technical staff 

Ability to work independently and manage time effectively 

Collaborative mindset, able to work with cross-functional teams including maintenance technicians, engineers, and IT staff 

NICE TO HAVE: 

Experience with mechanical equipment, preferably in a maintenance capacity 

Basic understanding of the functions and working principles of a CMMS system 

1-3 months of relevant work experience in maintenance, manufacturing, or operations 

Familiarity with Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) concepts 

Experience with Power BI or other data visualisation tools 

Knowledge of AS9100 or other aerospace quality management standards 

Understanding of reliability engineering or maintenance engineering principles 

Experience with ERP or maintenance management software (e.g., Infor, SAP, Maximo) 

Familiarity with continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, TPM, RCM) 

Hands-on experience in workshop or manufacturing environments 

Passion for aerospace, space technology, and innovation 

WHAT WE OFFER 

Hands-on experience developing permanent maintenance infrastructure for aerospace manufacturing 

Opportunity to create systems and processes that will be used across multiple Rocket Lab facilities 

Direct impact on the reliability and efficiency of rocket production operations 

Mentorship from experienced maintenance professionals and manufacturing engineers 

Professional development in maintenance engineering, technical documentation, and CMMS systems 

Exposure to aerospace manufacturing equipment and production operations 

Experience working alongside skilled maintenance technicians in real production environments 

Cross-functional collaboration with maintenance, engineering, and IT teams 

Potential pathway to future career opportunities at Rocket Lab in reliability engineering, maintenance engineering, or operations management 

HOW TO APPLY 

Please ensure you submit a cover letter, detailing why you are interested in the specific role you have applied for. Please make sure to cite a project/experience/hobby that is relevant to the role. 

Please note: We will be reviewing and interviewing candidates on a rolling basis as applications are received. We strongly encourage you to submit your application as early as possible, as positions may be filled before the closing date. 

Start Date: November 2026  WHAT TO EXPECT 

We’re on a mission to unlock the potential of space to improve life on Earth, but that’s not an easy task. It takes hard work, determination, relentless innovation, teamwork, grit, and an unwavering commitment to achieving what others often deem impossible. Our people out-think, out-work, and out-pace. We pride ourselves on having each other’s backs, checking our egos at the door, and rolling up our sleeves on all tasks big and small. We thrive under pressure, work to tight deadlines, and our focus is always on how we can deliver, rather than dwelling on the challenges that stand in the way.   

Important information:

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Rocket Lab Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable. Learn more about ITAR here.

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.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for the application/interview process for a job in the United States should contact Giulia Johnson at g.biow@rocketlabusa.com.This dedicated resource is intended solely to assist job seekers with disabilities whose disability prevents them from being able to apply/interview. Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.

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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