Senior Program Manager II - Flatellite
About The Position
Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior Technical Program Manager II for its Flatellite high-volume satellite production program, based at its global headquarters in Long Beach, California. The role serves as the program authority for high-volume satellite production and owns rate, yield, unit cost, and strategic program decisions from prototype maturity through full-rate production. The successful candidate will lead satellites from concept through qualification, production, and flight, while developing the technical roadmap and capabilities needed to scale production. The position leads multiple active programs and cross-functional teams, makes architectural and design-for-manufacturing trade-offs with Chief Engineers, addresses line-threatening problems, and develops future program and team leaders. It also manages strategic suppliers and high-stakes subcontracts, coordinates manufacturing, supply chain, integration, and test teams, serves as the primary contact for assigned commercial constellation operators, and partners with Business Development and Strategy on proposals and technical narratives.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in physics, mathematics, science, or another technical discipline.
- At least 8 years of aerospace program management experience.
- Demonstrated end-to-end ownership of a technical program, product, or team and a record of delivering under pressure.
- Evidence of moving hardware and software from prototype toward high-rate production, with quantified yield, throughput, and cost gains.
- 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 analogous 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 requirement integrity.
- Experience using Jira, Confluence, and ERP/MRP systems to make program health visible.
- Multiple program cycles or 8 or more years in aerospace or defense.
Responsibilities
- Lead the lifecycle of high-volume satellite programs from concept through qualification, full-rate production, and flight.
- Own program rate, yield, unit cost, and strategic decisions from prototype maturity through full-rate production.
- Develop the technical roadmap to expand the team's core capabilities.
- Lead multiple active programs and make architectural decisions with Chief Engineers.
- Navigate trade-offs involving design-for-manufacturing, takt time, line-of-balance, and rate-readiness versus reliability.
- Personally address critical problems that threaten production lines.
- Build a culture that supports smart risk-taking, strong ideas, and learning from intelligent misses.
- Coach and develop future program and team leaders.
- Manage strategic suppliers and high-stakes subcontracts to protect schedule and margin.
- Coordinate manufacturing, supply chain, integration, and test teams and remove roadblocks while maintaining quality and pace.
- 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.
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.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
