Senior RF Digital Payload Engineer II Pipeline

Rocket Lab Corporation • Long Beach, CA

2d • $151,500 - $252,500 • Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior Digital Payload Engineer II for a future opening on its Space Systems team. Based onsite at the company’s global headquarters in Long Beach, California, this role develops digital payload products such as modems, processors, and network routers, taking designs from initial concept through in-flight operations, including board layout, bring-up, qualification, and production. The role calls for a combination of RF engineering, system design, and board/circuit design skills in a fast-paced environment.

The engineer develops product requirements and architecture, prototypes digital products, supports testing and production automation, and prepares product documentation. The role also works with test and manufacturing engineers to introduce new products and supports customers and programs by assessing requirements, driving development of new capabilities, participating in engineering reviews, troubleshooting anomalies, and tracking product and production schedules.

This is an onsite position in Long Beach, California. The job may involve prolonged sitting, standing, walking, and computer work, as well as occasional exposure to moderate noise, dust, and fumes in production areas. The position may require U.S. citizenship due to program requirements. The listed California base pay range is $151,500–$252,500 USD; level and pay depend on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or another engineering discipline.
• At least 8 years of experience in space electronics, with technical expertise in high-speed serial interfaces such as SPI, PCIe, and Ethernet; system-on-chips; microcontrollers; and digital signal processing.
• Experience developing and delivering a digital product, including assessing requirements, prototyping engineering models, and producing space-worthy products.
• Detailed knowledge of digital signal processing algorithms and communication theory.
• U.S. citizenship required due to program requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to obtain a TS/SCI clearance.
• Deep experience with various modems and familiarity with the latest modem components.
• Extensive experience in space-grade board design, including parts selection and performance simulation for high-speed digital and mixed-signal circuits.
• Extensive experience in circuit analyses, including timing analysis and physical constraints.
• Experience supporting and leading complex engineering programs and developing associated documentation.
• Demonstrated code design for reusability, maintainability, and scalability.
• Experience designing, integrating, and testing communications systems for launch vehicles or satellites.
• Experience leading incident management and investigations.
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Effective communication skills and ability to build strong working relationships.
• Project management experience.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain requirements specifications.
• Architect the digital product design.
• Support the development process and ensure design decisions and developments align with required product capabilities.
• Design and prototype digital products, including component selection and PCB layout, fabrication, and packaging.
• Support development of test plans and procedures.
• Support design and development of ground support equipment (GSE) and production automation.
• Support development of product documentation, including ICDs and user manuals.
• Liaise with test and manufacturing engineers to drive new product introduction.
• Review proposals and requirements specifications to assess compliance against existing unit capabilities and development needs.
• Scope and drive development activities for new requirements.
• Support engineering reviews, including PDRs, CDRs, and TRRs.
• Provide technical support to internal and external customers, including answering questions and troubleshooting anomalies.
• Maintain awareness of product development and production schedules to help satisfy customer and program needs.

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 coverage.
• Vision coverage.
• Paid vacation and sick time.
• 11 paid holidays.
• Flexible spending and dependent care accounts.
• Paid parental leave.
• Disability insurance.
• Life insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Subsidized EV charging.
• Onsite fitness centers where available.
• Discounted gym memberships.
• Complimentary snacks and beverages.
• Employee discount on the company merchandise store and other employee discounts.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior