Senior Program Manager II - Space Sensing & Domain Awareness (TS/SCI)
About The Position
The Senior Program Manager is the program authority for Rocket Lab’s advanced optical and infrared sensing payloads, based at the company’s global headquarters in Long Beach, California. The role owns the technical roadmap and strategic make-or-buy decisions from early concept and prototype development through flight qualification and scalable production. It requires close engagement with tracking, warning, and surveillance mission needs to translate complex challenges into technical milestones. The position leads multiple active programs and teams, works with Chief Engineers on architectural decisions and technical trade-offs, and addresses critical program issues directly. It develops team capabilities and future leaders, manages strategic suppliers and high-stakes subcontracts, coordinates cross-functional teams spanning optics, electronics, software, and the data chain, and serves as the primary contact for assigned U.S. Government customers. The role also partners with Business Development and Strategy on proposals and technical narratives for future space domain awareness capabilities.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, science, or another technical discipline.
- 8+ years of aerospace program management experience.
- Demonstrated ownership of a technical program, product, or team end to end and delivery under pressure.
- Evidence of moving hardware and software from prototype toward scalable, flight-ready production.
- Understanding of EO/IR sensing, optical payloads, or focal plane arrays.
- Experience identifying and mitigating technical, schedule, or supply-chain risks before they affect the mission.
- Active TS/SCI clearance.
Nice To Haves
- Proven approach to transitioning low-volume prototypes into scalable production without compromising mission reliability.
- Deep experience in National Security Space (NSS) or large sensing and tracking constellations.
- Demonstrated success negotiating, capturing, and executing large U.S. Government contracts.
- Master’s degree in Engineering, Optics, or a related field.
- Familiarity with systems engineering, trade studies, interface control, requirement integrity, Jira, Confluence, and ERP.
- Multiple aerospace/defense program cycles or 8+ years of aerospace/defense experience.
Responsibilities
- Lead EO/IR sensing payload and optical-system development from concept through qualification, scalable production, and flight.
- Own the technical roadmap and grow the team’s core capabilities.
- Run multiple active programs and make architectural decisions with Chief Engineers, including trade-offs involving pointing stability, jitter, sensitivity, and revisit.
- Address the most critical program-threatening issues alongside the team.
- Build a culture that supports smart risks and strong ideas, and coach and develop future program and team leaders.
- Manage high-stakes subcontracts and suppliers as strategic partners while protecting schedule and margin.
- Coordinate cross-functional teams across optics, electronics, software, and the data chain, and remove roadblocks.
- Serve as the primary contact for assigned U.S. Government tracking, warning, and surveillance customers.
- Partner with Business Development and Strategy on proposals and technical narratives for future space domain awareness capabilities.
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 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.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
