Electrical Engineering Manager

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, payloads, satellite components, and more – all with the goal of opening access to space. The rockets and satellites we build and launch enable some of the most ambitious and vital space missions globally, supporting scientific exploration, Earth observation and missions to combat climate change, national security, and exciting new technology demonstrations.

Our Electron rocket has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 230 satellites to orbit, all while we work to develop Neutron, our upcoming medium‑lift, reusable launch vehicle for larger constellation deployment. Our Space Systems business designs and builds our extensive line of satellites, payloads, and their components, including spacecraft that have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars and components used on the James Webb Space Telescope.

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.

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.

• Manager 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
• Experience managing timelines and resource allocations across internal and external programs for the whole team
• Experience working with subcontractors and vendors.
• Demonstrated success working in a dynamic environment with multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated success meeting aggressive development schedules.
• Conduct performance reviews for the avionics team

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or other engineering discipline.
• 12+ years of experience with hardware development or electronics test engineering.
• Understanding of electronic circuits, design principles, and SMT manufacturing techniques.
• Experienced in analog sub‑circuit and board design, specifically in signal conditioning, ADCs, voltage references, voltage/current sensing, and temperature measurement via Thermocouples or RTDs.
• Experienced in high‑speed sub‑circuit and board design, inclusive of DDR or SDRAM memory technologies, and FPGA/SoC interfaces.
• Experienced 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 systems 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)

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Rocket Lab employees must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or otherwise meet the…