Electrical Engineering Manager

Rocketlab; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocketlab in Tucson, AZ is seeking an Electrical Engineering Manager for its Optical Systems division. The role involves leading the avionics team, managing timelines, and ensuring successful delivery of components for spacecraft missions.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and over 12 years of experience in hardware development. The position is focused on advanced electro-optical technology and is crucial for supporting U.S. space missions.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience with hardware development or electronics test engineering.
• Understanding of electronic circuits and surface‑mount technology.
• Experience with design and implementation of high-speed communications interfaces.

Responsibilities

• Lead the avionics team to design and deliver electrical components for spacecraft.
• Manage timelines and resources for all programs.
• Work with subcontractors to ensure component delivery.

Skills

Electronic circuits

Design principles

Analog sub-circuit design

High-speed communications interfaces

Programming (C/C++, Python)

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

Job description

Electrical Engineering Manager – Optical Systems

Rocket Lab’s Optical Systems division solves mission‑critical space domain and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) challenges for Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) customers. Our vision is to revolutionize the space‑based payload market with innovative and novel designs for space, terrestrial, and airborne environments. Building on more than 20 years of electro‑optical and infrared systems innovation, Optical Systems delivers solutions to the warfighter for responsive, scalable sensing solutions across all orbital domains.

As an Electrical Engineering Manager at our Optical Systems sites in Tucson, AZ, you will support Tranche 3 of the U.S. Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) with advanced electro‑optical (EO/IR) technology.

Responsibilities

• Lead the core avionics team and collaborate with program managers and systems engineers to design, develop, test, and deliver all major electrical components for spacecraft missions.
• Manage timelines and resource allocations across internal and external programs for the entire team.
• Work with subcontractors and vendors to ensure delivery of required components and performance.
• Demonstrate success in a dynamic environment with multiple priorities.
• Meeting aggressive development schedules.
• Conduct performance reviews for the avionics team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or another engineering discipline.
• 12+ years of experience with hardware development or electronics test engineering.
• Understanding of electronic circuits, design principles, and surface‑mount technology manufacturing techniques.
• Experience in analog sub‑circuit and board design, specifically in signal conditioning, ADCs, voltage references, voltage/current sensing, and temperature measurement via thermocouples or RTDs.
• Experience in high‑speed sub‑circuit and board design, including DDR or SDRAM memory technologies, and FPGA/SoC interfaces.
• Experience with design and implementation of high‑speed communications interfaces, both inter‑board and intra‑board, such as SPI, I2C, SpaceWire, CANBUS, serial, Ethernet, LVDS, and MII.

Nice to Have

• Experience designating hardware from concept through production.
• Understanding and experience in environmental design testing, such as vibration, shock, thermal, and TVAC.
• Understanding of key avionics, spacecraft, launch vehicle and flight termination systems regulations.
• Experience designing high‑reliability electrical systems for spacecraft, flight termination systems, or launch vehicles.
• Proficiency with programming languages, scripting tools, and automation (C/C++, Python preferred).

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.

Eligibility: Candidates applying for positions in U.S. offices must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or otherwise authorized by U.S. government agencies to obtain required authorizations. Candidates applying for New Zealand offices must hold citizenship of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the European Union, or a NATO country, and not hold an ineligible dual citizenship.

Rocket Lab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment at Rocket Lab, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.