Interesting work with organizational shortcomings
Pros
Key takeaway if you're unfamiliar with the structure of Rocket Lab: The most important decision is probably which location you work at. Rocket Lab does not seem to be aiming for the Starbucks-type model where no matter where you go, you can expect roughly the same experience. - Engineering salaries and benefits in North American offices are generally competitive for aerospace, though there have been complaints out of New Zealand. - There was an attempt to increase pay for some of the lowest-paid workers who did most of the front-line, product-fabrication work with least flexibility and highest physical risk. - There are pockets of exceptionally interesting R&D work, mostly in Long Beach and in New Zealand, in my opinion. - There are many people who are both extraordinary and kind at this company. If you get to work with any of them, it might be one of the highlights of your career.
Cons
- Rocket Lab, like other players, uses abstract aspirational goals, space cache, and employees' desire to excel to extract more work from its employees. Tread carefully, especially if you have a generous or do-good spirit or just like to see a job well done. These are beautiful qualities. Don't let them be exploited; as with any employer-employee relationship, sacrifice only goes one way. - The organization didn't seem to value PD very much, evidenced by a lack of structured mentoring, leadership training, tuition reimbursement or other incentives for completing job-relevant enrichment, or inter-office exchange programs for knowledge transfer. Maybe that has improved with time. - For diverse talent at the company: Act like you are the best; know your worth and take no crap. Just because Rocket Lab is happy to photograph you to show the public doesn't mean that you will be treated equitably by default. You can be grateful for an opportunity and then walk away when it stops meeting your standards for treatment. Set your standards high. - Rocket Lab has acquired several companies very quickly. It seems to have managed this well in certain respects; however, our (acquired) office was seriously undersupported/underinvested in with respect to HR, R&D, and personnel training/development. This left the office, and Rocket Lab, vulnerable to being outperformed and to potential legal liabilities (e.g. from a harassment incident). - There was a time when the company overspent elsewhere and there was a hiring freeze on all engineering support staff (one consequence being that there was no HR rep for our office, hence the lack of HR support mentioned above). Especially given that Rocket Lab is now a multinational entity, which means multiple legal codes must be complied with, this left the company vulnerable to noncompliance and negative legal ramifications. - The central Rocket Lab bureaucracy ignored multiple requests to fix the reporting structure in our office, resulting in labor inefficiency. - Promotion practices were not codified as of 2023, and it was very Wild-Westy as to how advancement happened; promotion criteria were not always made transparent and promotion decisions were not always made using thorough evaluations and input of subject-matter experts. Maybe this has improved, but be careful and be prepared to advocate for yourself and your work.
