Director, Space Radar Payload & Systems

Rocket Lab USA; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 198,000 - 297,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

EV charging subsidy

Onsite fitness centers

Gym membership discounts

Snacks and beverages

Merch store discount

Employee discounts

Job summary

Rocket Lab USA in Long Beach, CA is seeking a Director, Radar Payload to lead end-to-end development of space-based radar payloads, including SAR and related subsystems. You will oversee RF engineers and coordinate with spacecraft and mission teams to meet stringent performance targets.

The role requires a Bachelor's in electrical or aerospace engineering and 12+ years in radar; US citizenship and ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical or aerospace engineering required.
• 12+ years of relevant radar experience.
• Deep knowledge of SAR imaging modes and processing for space platforms.
• Experience with space-based radar systems (LEO/MEO/GEO).
• Orbital mechanics understanding affecting radar performance.
• Principles of spacecraft power, thermal, attitude, and data handling.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development of space-based radar payloads across architecture, prototyping, integration, test, and flight development.
• Define radar payload requirements and performance metrics for orbital missions.
• Direct design trades for waveform, antenna, and signal processing.
• Oversee calibration procedures and image quality assessment for spaceborne systems.
• Guide integration of radar payloads with spacecraft buses and data handling.

Skills

Radar systems

SAR processing

Spaceborne radar

RF engineering leadership

Spacecraft design principles

Orbital mechanics

Team leadership

Payload integration

Program leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical or aerospace engineering

Tools

RF test equipment

Job description

Rocket Lab USA in Long Beach, CA is seeking a Director, Radar Payload to lead end-to-end development of space-based radar payloads, including SAR and related subsystems. You will oversee RF engineers and coordinate with spacecraft and mission teams to meet stringent performance targets.

The role requires a Bachelor's in electrical or aerospace engineering and 12+ years in radar; US citizenship and ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance are required.