Principal Space Payloads Lead

Telemetry Today LLC; Tucson, Northern (AZ, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Tucson, AZ seeks a Principal Engineer, Space Payloads to lead design, development, and integration of space-based electro-optical sensor systems. You will guide a multi-disciplinary team from requirements to test, ensuring mission success while advancing innovative capabilities.

You will oversee cost, schedule, and performance, interface with senior customers, and drive MBSE processes in a classified environment. Travel up to 25% may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in technical discipline with 12+ years of professional experience.
• Active Secret/Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
• Proven ability to deliver complex aerospace or defense systems on cost, on schedule, and to performance requirements.
• Prior experience as a chief engineer or technical authority on a program of record or major defense contract.
• Experience leading large-scale proposals, including technical volumes and customer-facing reviews.
• Strong record of interfacing with senior government customers and building trusted technical relationships.
• Ability to motivate and guide teams without direct line authority, achieving alignment across diverse organizations and subcontractors.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%.
• Comfort working in classified environments with sensitive program information.
• Ability to work in classified environments 25%+ of the time.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical baseline for programs: Serve as the technical authority across systems engineering, hardware, software, and test, ensuring requirements are achieved and the system delivers mission value.
• Lead critical reviews: Chair program gate reviews from SRR through TRR, assessing design maturity, readiness, and risk posture.
• Shape system architecture: Direct the development and integration of architectures spanning payload, ground systems, and mission operations.
• Guide execution: Oversee engineering performance to deliver on cost, schedule, and technical objectives, including subcontractor oversight.
• Champion engineering excellence: Enforce standards, processes, and quality while advancing MBSE and Digital Engineering.
• Manage risk & opportunity: Own the program Risk Register, proactively mitigating risks and capturing opportunities to improve performance.
• Engage with stakeholders: Act as the primary technical interface with customer technical teams, subcontractors, and leadership.
• Support growth: Contribute to proposals, technical volumes, and reviews, helping shape future opportunities.
• Mentor the next generation: Provide leadership and guidance to engineers across disciplines, fostering collaboration.

Skills

Security clearance

Aerospace/defense delivery

Proposal leadership

Senior customer interfacing

Team leadership without authority

Classification handling

Education

Bachelor’s degree in technical discipline

Job description

Rocket Lab in Tucson, AZ seeks a Principal Engineer, Space Payloads to lead design, development, and integration of space-based electro-optical sensor systems. You will guide a multi-disciplinary team from requirements to test, ensuring mission success while advancing innovative capabilities.

You will oversee cost, schedule, and performance, interface with senior customers, and drive MBSE processes in a classified environment. Travel up to 25% may be required.