RF Systems Program Lead, Advanced Payloads

Rocketlab; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 134,000 - 201,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Top-tier medical benefits

Dental and vision coverage

Vacation and sick leave

11 paid holidays

401(k) with company match

Parental leave

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Job summary

Rocket Lab, based at our Long Beach, CA headquarters, seeks a Senior Technical Program Manager for Advanced RF Systems (TS/SCI). You’ll own the technical roadmap for RF payloads from prototype to high-rate production, leading teams and guiding architecture decisions with Chief Engineers.

You’ll work with national security and civil/commercial customers, manage critical subcontracts, and drive cross-functional collaboration across hardware, software, and spectrum management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, science, or other technical discipline.
• 8+ years of program management experience.
• Proven end-to-end ownership of a technical program, product, or team under pressure.
• Evidence moving hardware and software from prototype to flight-ready production.
• Understanding transponders, SAR, or advanced communication systems.
• Experience identifying and mitigating technical, schedule, or supply-chain risks.
• Active TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead RF payloads from concept through qualification, production, and delivery.
• Oversight of architecture decisions with Chief Engineers across systems.
• Foster a high-performing team culture with smart risk-taking.
• Manage high-stakes subcontracts and supplier partnerships.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure schedule and quality.
• Engage with national security and commercial customers and support proposals.

Skills

Program management

Security clearance

Systems thinking

Risk management

Cross-functional leadership

Education

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

Master’s degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

Jira

Confluence

ERP

Job description

Rocket Lab, based at our Long Beach, CA headquarters, seeks a Senior Technical Program Manager for Advanced RF Systems (TS/SCI). You’ll own the technical roadmap for RF payloads from prototype to high-rate production, leading teams and guiding architecture decisions with Chief Engineers.

You’ll work with national security and civil/commercial customers, manage critical subcontracts, and drive cross-functional collaboration across hardware, software, and spectrum management.