Business Development Lead, Separation Systems Components

Rocket Lab Corporation; Silver Spring (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Paid vacation

Paid sick leave

HSA

401(k) match

Employee stock purchase

Flexible schedule

Free meals

Snacks & drinks

Job summary

Rocket Lab Corporation seeks a Business Development Lead for Separation Systems to bridge customers and engineering teams in Silver Spring, MD.

You will draft proposals, manage leads in RL CRM, monitor pipeline, and support program management with pre-contract activities. The role emphasizes technical communication, pricing, and cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or other technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in business development, program management, or systems engineering within the aerospace sector.
• Ability to travel (up to 30%).

Responsibilities

• Provide timely responses to customer technical inquiries regarding Separation Systems products.
• Draft proposals for new business opportunities and compliance matrices.
• Use internal tools to track leads, opportunities, and proposals and generate KPIs.
• Monitor sales performance and forecast demand on a product-by-product basis.
• Maintain and improve customer-facing technical documentation with Engineering.
• Support strategic product decisions with customer demand insights.
• Generate quotes and follow up on pending items.

Skills

Business development

Program management

Systems engineering

CRM software

Travel up to 30%

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Master’s degree in aerospace engineering or related field

Tools

RL CRM

Job description

Business Development Lead, Separation Systems Components

Silver Spring, MD

Rocket Lab is the end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems that keep the world connected, protected, expand humanity’s reach to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. We move fast, build real hardware for meaningful missions, and make the impossible routine. Come shape the future with us.

Business Development

Rocket Lab’s Business Development team is responsible for connecting customers across government and commercial sectors with our industry leading mission solutions spanning launch and space systems. They work closely with new and existing customers to understand their needs and develop tailored solutions to deliver their missions. Building and maintaining relationships with customers and internally with engineering and operations teams is at the core of our Business Development team. They have their fingers on the pulse of the space industry and are driven to deliver results for our customers and our business.

Business Development Lead, Separation Systems Components

Based out of Rocket Lab's site in Silver Spring, Maryland, the Business Development Lead, Separation Systems is the primary interface between separation system customers and the engineering, production, and management teams. You will report directly to the Director of Business Development, Separation Systems, and your primary responsibilities will include:

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

• Provide timely responses to all customer technical inquiries regarding Rocket Lab Separation Systems products.
• Draft proposals for new business opportunities, including Compliance Matrices to customer technical, programmatic, and product assurance requirements.
• Use Rocket Lab internal tools such as the RL CRM to track leads, opportunities, and proposals, and generate related KPIs.
• Monitor sales performance and generate forecasted demand on a product-by-product basis.
• Track the pipeline trend/fluctuations with total pipeline and in-forecast pipeline breakout.
• Maintain and improve customer-facing technical documentation, and work with the Engineering team to address any technical gaps.
• Provide insight into customer demand and perspective to support strategic product decisions.
• Support the Business Development team by generating quotes and follow up on pending items.
• Support Program Management with pre-contract activities such as customer onboarding, including product application scope, delivery schedules, negotiations, and relevant export compliance documentation.
• Collaborate with the Communications team throughout communications campaigns and manage marketing material or other business unit collaterals.
• Remain current on the latest satellite competitive landscape, customer demand, and market trends to support sales forecasting, pricing strategy, business plans and product development roadmap.
• Ability to take ownership and action on challenges and step up to manage tough situations while encouraging colleagues to do the same.
• Participate in key conferences by scheduling and supporting customer meetings, managing demonstration hardware logistics, conducting demonstrations, and supporting prospective customer conversations.

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or other technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in business development, program management, or systems engineering within the aerospace sector.
• Ability to travel (up to 30%) to meet with customers, attend industry events, and support capture efforts.

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Experience with or exposure to design, manufacture, and/or test of spacecraft Separation System hardware.
• Experience with space-based product lines.
• Highly organized and able to solve problems independently, with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with team members having diverse skillsets and expertise.
• Ability to communicate complex issues clearly to customers, staff, and executives.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Sales management experience and familiarity with diverse business functions such as sales, marketing, public relations, finance, and operations.
• Awareness of current commercial and government satellite programs.
• Experience working with dynamic, geographically dispersed teams on fast-paced projects.
• Practiced with the use of customer relationship management software.
• Strong understanding of cost modeling and pricing principles and performance management principles.
• Master’s degree in aerospace engineering or related engineering field (electrical, mechanical, computer science, etc.).

This position may require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, computer work, and occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.

Level and base salary will be determined on a case-by‑case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job‑related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one component of our total rewards package at Rocket Lab. Employees may also receive company equity and access to a robust benefits package including: top tier medical HMO, PPO & a 100% company-sponsored HSA plan option, dental and vision coverage, 3 weeks paid vacation and 7 days sick leave per year, 11 paid holidays per year, flexible spending and dependent care savings accounts, paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance, and access to a 401(k) retirement plan with company match. Other perks include: discounted employee stock purchase program, flex schedule, free breakfast and lunch catered 2x/week, and free snacks/drinks.

Eligibility for benefits may vary based on employment status, please check with your recruiter for a comprehensive list of the benefits available for this role. Benefit programs are subject to change at the company’s discretion.

Base Pay Range (MD Only)

$100,000 - $125,000 USD

WHAT TO EXPECT

We’re on a mission to unlock the potential of space to improve life on Earth, but that’s not an easy task. It takes hard work, determination, relentless innovation, teamwork, grit, and an unwavering commitment to achieving what others often deem impossible. Our people out-think, out-work, and out-pace. We pride ourselves on having each other’s backs, checking our egos at the door, and rolling up our sleeves on all tasks big and small. We thrive under pressure, work to tight deadlines, and our focus is always on how we can deliver, rather than dwelling on the challenges that stand in the way.

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Rocket Lab Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable. Learn more about ITAR here .

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN NEW ZEALAND OFFICES ONLY:

For security reasons, background checks will be undertaken prior to any employment offers being made to an applicant. These checks will include nationality checks as it is a requirement of this position that you be eligible to access equipment and data regulated by the United States' International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

Under these Regulations, you may be ineligible for this role if you do not hold citizenship of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the European Union, or a country that is part of NATO, or if you hold ineligible dual citizenship or nationality. For more information on these Regulations, click here ITAR Regulations.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Rocket Lab Corporation’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A \"disabled veteran\" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A 'recently separated veteran' means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An 'active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran' means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An 'Armed forces service medal veteran' means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.