Senior Integration and Test Engineer II

Rocket Lab • Tucson, AZ

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab’s Space Systems division builds spacecraft, precision payloads, and the components and subsystems that support space missions. Rocket Lab Optical Systems develops mission-critical space-domain and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions for Department of Defense and Intelligence Community customers, drawing on more than 20 years of electro-optical and infrared systems innovation from Geost.

The Senior Integration and Test Engineer II, based in Tucson, Arizona, will lead hands-on integration, alignment, calibration, and verification of advanced EO/IR optical payloads used in national defense space missions. The work includes optical bench setup, metrology, environmental test readiness, and performance validation. The engineer will develop and refine test procedures and characterization methods, support environmental testing, resolve integration and performance issues, collaborate across engineering teams, and contribute to customer reviews and technical data packages.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of experience in integration and test of complex systems.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• Experience in optical system integration, test, or verification.
• Hands-on experience with optical alignment, metrology, interferometry, and imaging-system characterization.
• Familiarity with optical benches, cleanroom practices, contamination control, and environmental testing.
• Strong data-analysis, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with EO/IR payloads, infrared focal planes, or space-based sensor systems.
• Experience writing alignment procedures, test scripts, and verification plans.
• Experience with automated test equipment or optical STE.
• Active TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead integration, alignment, calibration, and verification activities for advanced EO/IR optical payloads used in spaceborne sensor systems.
• Perform hands-on optical integration, including optical bench setup, alignment, metrology, and environmental test readiness.
• Develop and refine test procedures, optical characterization methods, and performance-validation processes.
• Support thermal vacuum (TVAC), vibration, and shock testing; monitor optical performance and ensure compliance with mission requirements.
• Resolve integration issues, test anomalies, and optical performance deviations.
• Work cross-functionally with Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, and AIT teams to support optical-mechanical-electrical integration.
• Support customer reviews, data packages, and technical briefings.
• Identify opportunities to improve alignment methods, test tooling, and data-analysis workflows.

What This Job Offers

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