Senior Program Manager I - Laser Communications

Rocket Lab Corporation•Long Beach, CA

11d•$125,300 - $187,850•Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab is hiring a Senior Program Manager I to lead customer-facing optical communication terminal programs from program award through qualification, production at rate, delivery, and on-orbit checkout. Based at the company’s global headquarters in Long Beach, California, this role owns customer outcomes, delivery commitments, schedules, milestone and acceptance reviews, risk management, and overall program health across current-generation production and next-generation variants. The Program Manager will coordinate customers, engineering, production, Operations, Supply Chain, Product, Business Development and Strategy, Finance, and Trade Compliance teams across U.S. and European sites. The role partners with Chief Engineers on technical topics such as link performance, data rate, SWaP, environmental qualification, and terminal interoperability; manages program financials and customer contract changes; and works with Product on configuration, pricing, and customer needs. The successful candidate will also mentor colleagues and help develop future program leaders. The position requires a bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or Math; a working understanding of free-space optical or RF communications; and at least five years of experience in space, aerospace, or photonics hardware programs, including multiple program cycles. Candidates should have a record of delivering complex hardware programs and moving products from prototype through qualification into rate production. U.S. Person status is required for ITAR/EAR compliance; the ability to obtain a security clearance is preferred. This position may involve prolonged sitting, standing, walking, and computer work, as well as occasional exposure to moderate noise, dust, and fumes in production areas. The California base pay range is $125,300–$187,850 USD, with level and pay determined case by case. The total compensation package includes company stock.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or Math.
Working understanding of free-space optical or RF communications, including link budgets, pointing, acquisition and tracking, modems and coding, and space or airborne environmental qualification.
At least 5 years of experience in space, aerospace, or photonics hardware programs, including multiple full program cycles.
Track record of leading a complex hardware program to delivery, managing customer relationships, schedule, risk, and acceptance under pressure.
Evidence of moving hardware from prototype through qualification into rate-production delivery to customers.
Experience managing program cost, estimate at completion (EAC), and customer contract changes in partnership with Finance and Product on a program of meaningful scale.
Demonstrated delivery of hardware at rate to a demanding customer while maintaining customer trust through difficult situations such as a schedule slip, test failure, or contract change.
U.S. Person status required for ITAR/EAR compliance.

Nice To Haves

Ability to obtain a security clearance.
Direct experience with optical inter-satellite links or optical ground or airborne terminals.
A proven approach to taking low-volume, hand-built optical or electro-optical hardware into high-rate production without sacrificing reliability.
Experience delivering to large commercial or defense constellation programs.
Experience as the primary customer interface for constellation operators or satellite primes from kickoff through acceptance.
Experience leading program work across geographically dispersed sites, including export-control and dual-use compliance.
Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Optics/Photonics, Physics, or a related field.
Systems engineering knowledge, including trade studies, interface control, and requirement integrity, and familiarity with Jira, Confluence, and ERP/MRP tools.
Use of AI tools in day-to-day program management, including schedule and risk analysis, status reporting, and customer communications.

Responsibilities

Lead terminal programs from award through qualification, production at rate, delivery, and on-orbit checkout, covering current-generation production and next-generation variants.
Manage multiple concurrent customer programs and deliver against schedule, technical performance, and customer commitments.
Work with Chief Engineers on link performance, data rate, SWaP, environmental qualification, and optical terminal interoperability.
Own program delivery profiles and identify and resolve yield, supplier, and test-capacity risks with Operations and Product.
Partner with Supply Chain to manage critical suppliers and maintain delivery accountability.
Manage program startup and baselining, milestone and qualification reviews, export and ITAR obligations with Trade Compliance, customer acceptance, and program closeout across U.S. and European sites.
Serve as the trusted customer point of contact through milestone reviews, interoperability campaigns, acceptance, and delivery.
Partner with Business Development and Strategy on proposals and with Product on pricing and configuration, bringing customer needs into decisions.
Manage program cost, estimate at completion (EAC), and customer contract changes in partnership with Finance and Product.
Mentor colleagues, establish high standards for customer engagement, and help develop future program leaders.

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.