Lead, Advanced RF Systems Programs (Space)

Rocket Lab USA

Long Beach (CA)

On-site

USD 117,000 - 182,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Life insurance

Parental leave

Paid holidays

Sick time

401(k)

Retirement plan

Employee discount

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Long Beach, CA is seeking a Senior Program Manager I for Advanced RF Systems (TS/SCI). You will own the technical roadmap from prototype to high-rate production, lead cross-functional teams across hardware, software, and communications, and partner with chief engineers to make critical architectural decisions.

This high-ownership role requires 5+ years in aerospace program management, a technical track record, and active TS/SCI clearance.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in physics, math, science, or other technical discipline.
5+ years of aerospace program management experience.
Proven track record of owning a technical program end to end and delivering under pressure.
Experience moving hardware and software from prototype toward flight-ready production.
Understanding of transponders, SAR, or advanced communication systems.
Experience identifying technical, schedule, or supply-chain risk and neutralizing it before it impacts the mission.
Active TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

Command the Lifecycle: Build and lead the team that takes RF payloads, transponders, SAR, and communications systems from a "blank sheet" concept through qualification, high-rate production, and flight, and own the technical roadmap that grows the team's core capabilities.
Lead the Team of Teams: Run multiple active programs at once, make sound architectural calls with Chief Engineers, navigate the hardest trade-offs in phased arrays, digital signal processing, and high-rate manufacturing, and personally dive into the most program-threatening problems alongside the team.
Build the Bench: Grow a culture where strong people take smart, healthy risks and the best idea wins, no matter who it comes from, we back bold calls and treat an intelligent miss as the cost of moving fast and coach and develop the next generation of program and team leaders.
Forge the Supply Chain: Manage high-stakes subcontracts and suppliers as strategic partners essential to the mission, protecting schedule and margin.
Unblock Excellence: Synchronize cross-functional teams across hardware, software, and spectrum management and clear roadblocks quickly so the team keeps moving at speed and quality stays high.
Influence the Future: Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned National Security, civil, and commercial customers, and partner with BD & Strategy on proposals and technical narratives that define the next generation of RF systems and payloads.