Business Development Engineer II

Rocket Lab Corporation•Long Beach, CA

3d•$82,000 - $113,000•Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab is hiring an early-career Business Development Engineer II to support the growth of its HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) business and pursue opportunities addressing the nation’s hypersonic test and evaluation needs. Based at the company’s global headquarters in Long Beach, California, this role is part of the Global Launch Services Business Development team and works across Engineering, Mission Management, Production, Communications, and other teams. The position reports directly to the Director of Business Development, HASTE. The role supports opportunity identification, market and competitive analysis, capture and proposal activities, and the development of mission concepts and business cases. It combines technical coordination with business development support, including proposal drafting, opportunity and pipeline tracking, forecasting, customer-facing technical responses and materials, and market research. The engineer will also help coordinate agreements and internal work tracking, and develop knowledge of suborbital launch and hypersonic test markets to inform sales forecasting, pricing, business planning, and HASTE product development. The position may involve prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, and computer work, with occasional exposure to moderate noise, dust, and fumes in production areas. Compensation includes a stated California base-pay range of $82,000–$113,000, with level and base salary determined case by case. Company stock is also included in the total compensation package.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or another technical discipline.
At least 2 years of 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 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 non-recurring engineering (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 related to launch service agreements, technical assistance agreements, and non-disclosure agreements.
Create, track, and prioritize Jira tickets supporting Business Development activities.
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 the total compensation package.
Employee Stock Purchase Program with a 15% discount on company stock.
Medical plans, including HMO, PPO, and a zero-cost HDHP option with a significant 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.