Senior Program Manager I

Rocket Lab • Long Beach, CA

9d • Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior Program Manager I for its Space Systems team, based at the company’s global headquarters in Long Beach, California. The role is the program authority for high-volume satellite production, with ownership of production rate, yield, unit cost, and strategic program decisions from prototype maturity through full-rate production.

The position leads the lifecycle of high-volume satellite programs, from initial concept and qualification through production and flight, while guiding the technical roadmap for the team’s capabilities. It oversees multiple active programs, makes architectural and manufacturing trade-off decisions with Chief Engineers, and works directly on urgent production-line problems. The role also develops program leaders, manages strategic suppliers and subcontractors, synchronizes manufacturing, supply chain, integration, and test functions, and serves as the primary contact for assigned commercial constellation operators. It also partners with Business Development and Strategy on proposals and technical narratives for future constellation production.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, mathematics, science, or another technical discipline.
• At least 5 years of program management experience.
• Demonstrated end-to-end ownership of a technical program, product, or team, with delivery under pressure.
• Evidence of moving hardware and software from prototype toward high-rate production, with quantified gains in yield, throughput, and cost.
• Understanding of takt time, line of balance, design for manufacturing, and learning-curve economics.
• Experience identifying and mitigating tooling, supply-chain, or yield risks before they slow production.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

• A proven approach to transitioning low-volume prototypes into full-rate production without sacrificing mission reliability.
• Deep experience scaling satellite, aerospace, or similarly complex hardware production at volume.
• A repeatable record of reducing unit cost at production rate without sacrificing reliability.
• Master’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or a related field.
• Familiarity with systems engineering, trade studies, interface control, and requirements integrity.
• Experience using Jira, Confluence, and ERP/MRP systems to keep program health visible.
• Multiple program cycles or 8 or more years of aerospace or defense experience.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the team responsible for taking high-volume satellite programs from concept through qualification, full-rate production, and flight.
• Own the technical roadmap that grows the team’s core capabilities.
• Run multiple active programs simultaneously and make architectural decisions with Chief Engineers.
• Navigate trade-offs involving design for manufacturing, takt time, line of balance, rate readiness, and reliability.
• Work with the team to resolve the most urgent problems threatening production-line performance.
• Develop a culture that supports smart risk-taking, strong ideas, and learning from intelligent misses.
• Coach and develop future program and team leaders.
• Manage high-stakes subcontracts and suppliers as strategic partners while protecting schedule and margin.
• Coordinate manufacturing, supply chain, integration, and test teams and remove roadblocks to maintain speed and quality.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned commercial constellation operators.
• Partner with Business Development and Strategy on proposals and technical narratives for future constellation production.
• Own production rate, yield, unit cost, and strategic program decisions from prototype maturity through full-rate production.

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.

What This Job Offers

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