Electrical Engineering Manager

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, precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space, like 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, 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 the vertically integrated components that help them get to space, our world‑class Space Systems team is empowering some of the boldest and most ambitious space missions.

Rocket Lab’s Optical Systems division solves mission‑critical space domain and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) challenges for Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) customers. Our vision is to revolutionize the space‑based payload market with innovative and novel designs for space, terrestrial, and airborne environments. Building on more than 20 years of electro‑optical and infrared systems innovation from Geost, Optical Systems delivers solutions to the warfighter for responsive, scalable sensing solutions across all orbital domains.

As an Electrical Engineering Manager at our Optical Systems sites in Tucson, AZ, you will support Tranche 3 of the U.S. Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) with advanced Electro‑Optical (EO/IR) technology.

• Manage the core avionics team and work with program managers and systems engineers to facilitate design, development, test, and delivery of all major electrical components for spacecraft missions.
• Manage timelines and resource allocations across internal and external programs for the whole team.
• Work with subcontractors and vendors.
• Demonstrate success working in a dynamic environment with multiple priorities.
• Meet aggressive development schedules.
• Conduct performance reviews for the avionics team.

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or another engineering discipline.
• U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• 12+ years of experience with hardware development or electronics test engineering.
• Understanding of electronic circuits, design principles, and SMT manufacturing techniques.
• Experience in analog sub‑circuit and board design, specifically in signal conditioning, ADCs, voltage references, voltage/current sensing, and temperature measurement via thermocouples or RTDs.
• Experience in high‑speed sub‑circuit and board design, inclusive of DDR or SDRAM memory technologies, and FPGA/SoC interfaces.
• Experience with design and implementation of high‑speed communications interfaces, both inter‑board and intra‑board, such as SPI, I2C, Space Wire, CANBUS, Serial, Ethernet, LVDS, and MII.

• Experience designing hardware from concept through production.
• Understanding and experience in environmental design testing, such as vibration, shock, thermal, and TVAC.
• Understanding of key avionics, spacecraft, launch vehicle, and flight termination system regulations.
• Experience in design of high‑reliability electrical systems for spacecraft, flight termination systems, or launch vehicles.
• Proficiency with programming languages, scripting tools, and automation (C/C++, Python preferred).

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…