Senior Program Manager I - Space Sensing & Domain Awareness (Ts/Sci)
Rocket Lab Corporation
Long Beach
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.
SPACE SYSTEMS
At Rocket Lab, we’re not just launching rockets - we're building the future of space. Our Space Systems team builds everything from complete spacecraft and precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space, including solar panels, flight software, star trackers, optical systems, separation systems, radios, and more.
Our Space Systems team has enabled more than 1,700 missions, ranging from interplanetary exploration and in-space manufacturing to national security and defense initiatives. The team has built spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions to the Moon and Mars, working with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force. Whether it’s a single high-performance spacecraft, constellation, or vertically integrated components that help missions get to space, our world-class Space Systems team is empowering some of the boldest and most ambitious space missions
SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, SPACE SENSING & DOMAIN AWARENRESS (TS/SCI)
Based at Rocket Lab's global headquarters in Long Beach, CA, you are the program authority for our advanced optical and infrared sensing payloads. You own the technical roadmap and strategic “Make/Buy” decisions from the first “blank sheet” prototype, through flight qualification, and into scalable production. This is a high-ownership role: you'll immerse yourself in the operational realities of the tracking, warning, and surveillance mission to turn their hardest problems into concrete technical milestones, and you'll be the person the program runs on.
WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:
- Command the Lifecycle: Build and lead the team that takes EO/IR sensing payloads and optical systems from a “blank sheet” concept through qualification, scalable production, and flight, and own the technical roadmap that grows the team's core capabilities.
- Lead the Team of Teams: Run multiple active programs at once, make sound architectural calls with Chief Engineers, navigate the hardest trade-offs in pointing stability and jitter, sensitivity, and revisit, and personally dive into the most program-threatening problems alongside the team.
- Build the Bench: Grow a culture where strong people take smart, healthy risks and the best idea wins, no matter who it comes from, we back bold calls and treat an intelligent miss as the cost of moving fast, and coach and develop the next generation of program and team leaders.
- Forge the Supply Chain: Manage high-stakes subcontracts and suppliers as strategic partners essential to the mission, protecting schedule and margin.
- Unblock Excellence: Synchronize cross-functional teams across optics, electronics, software, and the data chain and clear roadblocks quickly so the team keeps moving at speed and quality stays high.
- Influence the Future: Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned U.S. Government tracking, warning, and surveillance customers, and partner with BD & Strategy on proposals and technical narratives that define the next generation of space domain awareness.
YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, science, or other technical discipline
- 5+ years of aerospace program management experience
- A demonstrated track record of owning a technical program, product, or team end to end and carrying it across the finish line under real pressure, we hire on what you've shipped, not years logged
- Evidence you've moved real hardware and software from prototype toward scalable, flight-ready production
- Understanding of the nuances of EO/IR sensing, optical payloads, or focal plane arrays
- Experience identifying technical, schedule, or supply-chain risk and neutralizing it before it impacts the mission
- Active TS/SCI clearance
THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:
- Production Velocity: A proven playbook for transitioning low-volume prototypes into scalable production without sacrificing mission reliability.
- Domain Authority: Deep experience navigating National Security Space (NSS) or large sensing and tracking constellations.
- Capture & Customer: Demonstrated success negotiating, capturing, and executing large U.S. Government contracts.
- Advanced Technical Credibility: A Master's degree in Engineering, Optics, or a related field that lets you peer-review sensing roadmaps.
- Systems & Toolchain Fluency: You speak Systems Engineering, trade studies, interface control, requirement integrity, and use Jira, Confluence, and ERP to keep program health visible at speed.
- Depth of Reps: Multiple program cycles or 8+ years in aerospace/defense, sharpen the edge, but we weight the hardest thing you've shipped over the count.
This position may require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, computer work, and occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.
Join one of the world's fastest-growing space companies and own a piece of it. In addition to competitive base pay, you'll receive company stock as part of your total compensation package, giving you a direct stake in our success. As we expand to new launch sites, groundbreaking missions, and global markets, your ownership has the opportunity to grow alongside the company.
Our comprehensive benefits package includes our industry-leading Employee Stock Purchase Program (with a 15% discount on company stock), top-tier medical plans (HMO, PPO, and a zero cost HDHP option with a significant HSA company contribution), dental and vision coverage, paid vacation and sick time, 11 paid holidays, flexible spending and dependent care accounts, paid parental leave, disability and life insurance, and a 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
Additional perks include subsidized EV charging, onsite fitness centers (where available), discounted gym memberships, complimentary snacks and beverages, 50% employee discount on our popular merch store, and a variety of other employee discounts.
Level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
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 [email protected].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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