Business Development Engineer I

Rocket Lab Corporation•Long Beach, CA

4d•$72,000 - $100,000•Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab is seeking an early-career Business Development Engineer to support growth of its HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) business and pursue opportunities related to the nation’s hypersonic test and evaluation needs. The position is based at Rocket Lab’s global headquarters in Long Beach, California, and is part of the Global Launch Services Business Development team. The role works closely with experienced business development professionals and cross-functionally with Engineering, Mission Management, Production, Communications, and other teams. Reporting directly to the Director of Business Development, the engineer will support opportunity identification, market and competitive analysis, capture and proposal activities, and the development of mission concepts and business cases. The position supports customer engagement and the business development process through proposals, opportunity and pipeline tracking, mission requirement analysis, technical responses, and coordination on timelines and launch dates. It also contributes to HASTE marketing and technical documentation, internal reporting and KPI development, agreement and Jira processes, and market research to inform forecasting, pricing, business planning, and product development. The role may involve prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, and computer work, as well as occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or another technical discipline.
Professional or internship experience in an engineering role within the aerospace, defense, or national security industries.
U.S. citizenship is required due to program requirements.
Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Experience or academic exposure to the design, manufacturing, integration, or testing of hypersonic systems, payloads, or flight vehicles.
Experience with hypersonic systems, flight testing, or launch vehicles.
Familiarity with current hypersonic flight test, missile defense, suborbital launch, or related national security markets.
Experience working on fast-paced engineering programs with geographically distributed or cross-functional teams.
Master’s degree in aerospace engineering or a related engineering discipline, such as mechanical, electrical, or computer engineering.
Experience with Python scripting, trajectory generation, or trajectory analysis.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Curiosity and enthusiasm for aerospace, hypersonics, and national security applications.
Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently when needed.
Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and colleagues with diverse technical backgrounds and areas of expertise.
Ability to understand complex technical concepts and communicate them clearly and concisely to technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

Draft proposals for new business opportunities in collaboration with Business Development and Engineering teams.
Track opportunities, analyze pipeline activity, and forecast demand for HASTE capabilities.
Coordinate with Engineering to assess mission requirements and develop timely technical responses to inquiries about HASTE capabilities.
Work with Production and Engineering to establish realistic, achievable NRE timelines and launch dates for future missions.
Collaborate with Communications and Business Development to maintain and improve HASTE marketing materials, data sheets, and user guides.
Partner with Engineering to identify technical gaps and support improvements to standardized customer-facing technical documentation.
Use internal tools, including Salesforce, to track leads, opportunities, and proposals, and support Business Development reporting and KPI development.
Support Business Development activities involving launch service agreements, technical assistance agreements, and non-disclosure agreements, as well as Jira ticket creation, tracking, and prioritization.
Build and maintain knowledge of suborbital launch and hypersonic test markets, competitive capabilities, customer demand, and emerging trends to support sales forecasting, pricing strategy, business planning, and HASTE product development.

Benefits

Company stock as part of total compensation.
Employee Stock Purchase Program with a 15% discount on company stock.
Medical plans, including HMO, PPO, and a zero-cost HDHP option with a company HSA 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.
401(k) retirement plan with company match.
Subsidized EV charging.
Onsite fitness centers where available.
Discounted gym memberships.
Complimentary snacks and beverages.
50% employee discount on the company merchandise store.
Other employee discounts.