Principal Program Manager (TS/SCI)

Rocket Lab Corporation; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 176,000 - 263,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee stock purchase

Medical plans

Dental and vision

Job summary

Rocket Lab Corporation is seeking a Principal Program Manager (TS/SCI) to own the technical roadmap for high‑stakes mission platforms at our Long Beach, CA HQ. You will lead teams through prototype to flight, drive production readiness, and manage risk across hardware, software, and mission assurance.

You will engage with national security customers, coordinate with Chief Engineers, and influence proposals and technical narratives that shape next‑generation space systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline required or equivalent.
• 12+ years in aerospace/space industry with PM leadership.
• 8+ years of technical program management experience.
• Clearance: Active TS/SCI or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple active programs, make architectural calls with Chief Engineers.
• Own program P&L and forecasts; manage budgets and revenue milestones.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams across hardware, software, GNC, and mission assurance.
• Engage with U.S. Government customers and support proposals and narratives.

Skills

Aerospace experience

Program management

TS/SCI clearance

Risk management

Technical leadership

System architecture

Education

Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, science, or other technical discipline

Tools

Jira

Confluence

ERP

Job description

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.

SPACE SYSTEMS

At Rocket Lab, we’re not just launching rockets - we're building the future of space. Our Space Systems team builds everything from complete spacecraft and precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space, including solar panels, flight software, star trackers, optical systems, separation systems, radios, and more.

Our Space Systems team has enabled more than 1,700 missions, ranging from interplanetary exploration and in-space manufacturing to national security and defense initiatives. The team has built spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions to the Moon and Mars, working with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force. Whether it’s a single high-performance spacecraft, constellation, or vertically integrated components that help missions get to space, our world-class Space Systems team is empowering some of the boldest and most ambitious space missions

PRINCIPAL PROGRAM MANAGER (TS/SCI)

Based at Rocket Lab’s global headquarters in Long Beach, CA, you serve as the program authority for one of our most sensitive next‑generation mission platforms. You own the technical roadmap and all major programmatic decisions—from the first blank‑sheet prototype through flight qualification and into responsive production. This is a true high‑ownership role: you’ll immerse yourself in the operational realities of the warfighter, translate their hardest problems into concrete technical milestones, and become the person the entire program runs on.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

• Command the Lifecycle: Build and lead the team that takes highly maneuverable, time‑critical mission platforms from a “blank sheet” concept through qualification, responsive 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 closed‑loop guidance and control, on‑board autonomy, and propulsion, and personally dive into the most program‑threatening problems alongside the team.
• Build the Bench: Grow an engineering culture where strong people take smart, healthy risks and the best idea wins, no matter who it comes from and coach and develop the next generation of program and team leaders.
• Own the P&L: Own the program P&L on a Firm Fixed Price basis: build accurate forecasts, hit revenue and margin milestones on time, prepare credible program and capital budgets, and make defensible Make/Buy decisions.
• 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, GNC, and mission assurance 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 U.S. Government national security customers, and partner with BD & Strategy on proposals and technical narratives that define the next generation of national security mission systems.

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, science, or other technical discipline
• 12+ years of experience in the aerospace/space industry
• 8+ years of technical program management experience
• To excel in this role, you bring depth in at least one of the following domains:
  • Prototype‑to‑flight transition — A proven record of taking integrated hardware/software systems from early prototypes to fully qualified, flight‑ready platforms.
  • EO/IR and optical payloads — Understanding the nuances of EO/IR sensing, optical payload architectures, or focal plane arrays.
  • Production engineering — Familiarity with takt time, line‑of‑balance, design‑for‑manufacturing principles, and learning‑curve economics.
  • Manufacturing risk reduction — Experience identifying tooling, supply‑chain, or yield risks and neutralizing them before they impact throughput.
  • Advanced sensing and comms — Understanding of RADAR, SAR, or advanced communication system architectures.
• Experience identifying technical, schedule, or supply‑chain risk and neutralizing it before it impacts the mission
• Active TS/SCI clearance

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Production Velocity: A playbook for transitioning low‑volume prototypes into responsive production without sacrificing mission reliability.
• Domain Authority: Deep experience navigating National Security Space (NSS) and the most time‑critical mission sets.
• Capture & Customer: Demonstrated success negotiating, capturing, and executing large U.S. Government contracts.
• Advanced Technical Credibility: A master’s degree in engineering or a related field that lets you peer‑review technical roadmaps.
• Systems & Toolchain Fluency: You speak Systems Engineering — trade studies, interface control, requirement integrity — and use Jira, Confluence, and ERP to keep program health visible at speed.

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.

Join one of the world's fastest-growing space companies and own a piece of it. In addition to competitive base pay,you'll receive company stock as part of your total compensation package, giving you a direct stake in our success. As we expand to new launch sites, groundbreaking missions, and global markets, your ownership has the opportunity to grow alongside the company.

• Industry‑leading Employee Stock Purchase Program (with a 15% discount on company stock)
• top‑tier medical plans (HMO, PPO, and a zero cost HDHP option with a significant HSA company 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

Additional perks include subsidized EV charging, onsite fitness centers (where available), discounted gym memberships, complimentary snacks and beverages, 50% employee discount on our popular merch store, and a variety of other employee discounts.

• subsidized EV charging
• onsite fitness centers (where available)
• discounted gym memberships
• complimentary snacks and beverages
• 50% employee discount on our popular merch store
• variety of other employee discounts

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 Pay Range (CA Only)

$175,500 - $263,250 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 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.