Senior RF Radar Engineer I

Rocket Lab•Long Beach, CA

23h•$132,000 - $198,000•Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior RF Radar Engineer to drive technical development of radar and RF systems, including synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and space-based radar applications. The role is based at the company’s global headquarters in Long Beach, California, and covers radar architecture, RF component integration, hands-on testing and calibration, spacecraft integration, and customer and program support. The successful candidate will combine radar engineering, RF systems design, and spacecraft systems experience in a fast-paced environment. The engineer will develop space-based radar systems from architecture and design through prototyping, integration, testing, and flight development. They will define radar requirements and link budgets, conduct payload design trades and performance analyses, develop calibration and image-quality validation approaches, and support radar ground support equipment and test systems. The position also involves coordinating with spacecraft bus and multidisciplinary engineering teams, contributing to product documentation and engineering reviews, and supporting proposals, new capabilities, and customer troubleshooting.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related field.
At least 5 years of relevant experience.
Hands-on experience with space-based radar systems, including system integration and mission operations, imaging modes, processing, and performance assessment.
Strong understanding of orbital mechanics and spacecraft systems, including the effects of orbit parameters on radar performance.
Working knowledge of spacecraft subsystems, including power, thermal, and ADCS, and their impact on radar payload design.
Strong radar systems knowledge, including waveform design, pulse compression, and Doppler processing.
Theoretical and practical understanding of RF systems, including link budgets, linearity, and noise analysis.
Experience developing and delivering radar/RF systems for space applications from requirements through testing.
Proficiency with radar simulation tools and orbital analysis software.
Experience with radar testing, including range measurements and RF performance characterization.
U.S. citizenship is required due to program requirements.
Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD TS/SCI clearance.

Nice To Haves

Existing DoD TS/SCI clearance.
Extensive experience in space-grade radar system design and environmental testing.
Knowledge of advanced SAR techniques, including GMTI, InSAR, and polarimetry, for space platforms.

Responsibilities

Lead technical development of space-based radar systems, including architecture design, prototyping, integration, test, and flight development.
Define and maintain radar performance requirements and link-budget specifications, accounting for orbital parameters.
Conduct radar payload design trades involving antenna selection, waveform optimization, and processing architectures for space platforms.
Drive decisions on radar modes, timing, pulse repetition frequency (PRF), and RF chain design while considering orbital dynamics.
Perform radar analyses, including range and Doppler resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, ambiguity, interference, and orbital effects on performance.
Analyze mission requirements, including orbit selection, ground-track patterns, and revisit characteristics.
Develop radar calibration strategies and image-quality validation methods for spaceborne systems.
Support development of radar test plans, procedures, and automated test systems.
Lead design and development of radar ground support equipment, including calibration sources and test fixtures.
Support spacecraft integration and coordinate with bus subsystem teams, including power, thermal, ADCS, and data handling.
Support product documentation, including interface control documents, test reports, and user manuals.
Design and analyze radar waveforms for space-based imaging and detection applications.
Model and simulate radar systems using tools such as MATLAB, STK, or custom software, including orbital propagation.
Assess and integrate commercial off-the-shelf RF components for space-qualified radar transmit and receive chains.
Support hands-on radar testing, including EIRP measurements and receiver-sensitivity testing.
Interface with RF, digital, mechanical, thermal, structural, and software engineering teams.
Review proposals and requirements specifications for space-based radar payload opportunities.
Scope and drive development activities for new radar capabilities.
Support engineering reviews such as PDRs, CDRs, and TRRs.
Provide technical support to internal and external customers, including troubleshooting radar performance.
Maintain awareness of product development and production schedules.

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.