Rocket Lab Research Site Chief of Safety

Air Force Research Laboratory; Rosamond (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework eligible

Referral bonus

Relocation incentives

Job summary

Air Force Research Laboratory, Rocket Lab Detachment 7, Edwards AFB, CA, invites applications for a Chief of Safety (DO-03). The role leads safety and occupational health, supervises staff, and guides safety engineering across test and propulsion activities.

Relocation incentives may be offered and telework is situational. Required US citizenship, ability to obtain Top Secret/Secret clearance, and 1+ year at DO-02/GS-12 level or higher.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain required security clearance (Top Secret/Secret).
• Minimum 1 year of specialized experience at DO-02 (GS-12 or equivalent) or above.

Responsibilities

• Lead site's safety and occupational health at AFRL/Detachment 7.
• Serve as Detachment 7/SE Branch Chief; supervise government civilian and military personnel.
• Provide technical and supervisory guidance to safety engineers/technicians.
• Ensure compliance with federal/state/local and service safety regs.
• Advise across rocket/space propulsion safety, R&D and ground tests.
• Maintain relationships with higher HQ and Edwards host base organizations.

Skills

Safety leadership

Team supervision

Test safety

Regulatory compliance

Job description

OPEN TO ALL QUALIFIED US CITIZENS. This announcement will be accepting candidate submissions until 11:45 PDT, 1 December 2026.

Job Overview

OPEN TO ALL QUALIFIED US CITIZENS. This announcement will be accepting candidate submissions until 11:45 PDT, 1 December 2026. The AFRL Rocket Lab Detachment 7 Safety Office seeks to hire a Chief of Safety at the DO-03 level. The position is located at the AFRL Rocket Laboratory at Edwards AFB CA. For more than 60 years, the AFRL Rocket Laboratory at Edwards AFB has contributed to several technology developments in rocket engines, including those of Saturn, Titan, Space Shuttle, and all major intercontinental ballistic missiles and current space launchers. Today, the site is undergoing significant mission growth to enable technology leaps in hypersonics, solid rocket boosters, in-space propulsion, and liquid rocket engines for defense and commercial space in support for the Air & Space Forces.

Position Duties Include, But Are Not Limited To

• Serves as Chief of Safety at AFRL/Detachment 7, responsible for leading site's safety and occupational health functions: systems safety, weapons safety, occupational safety, and bioenvironmental engineering.
• Dual-hatted as the Detachment 7/SE Branch Chief, serving as a first level supervisor overseeing government civilian and military personnel, and manages contractors supporting the branch.
• Provides technical and supervisory guidance for Test, Systems, Occupational, and Weapons safety engineers and technicians and Bioenvironmental and Industrial Hygiene engineers and technicians.
• Ensures site compliance with federal, state, local, and service safety and occupational health requirements.
• Provides safety advice across spectrum of rocket and space propulsion research, development and ground test.
• Maintains AFRL/Edwards safety and occupational health functional relationships with higher headquarters and Edwards host base organizations.
• Plans, directs, and executes the branch's budget.
• Increases enterprise collaboration among Msn Orgs and other AFRL Detachment Safety Offices.

Other Significant Facts

• Relocation or other incentives may be offered for this position
• This position is an Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) position. The selectee will have 24-months to meet APDP requirements or a waiver must be obtained.

Required Qualifications

• United States Citizenship
• Ability to obtain and maintain required (Top Secret/Secret) security clearance
• Must have at least one year or equivalent of specialized experience at the DO-02 (GS-12 or equivalent) grade level or above in other pay systems.

Desired Qualifications

• Understanding of rocket propulsion research, development, testing, and evaluation; experience with rocket test operations is highly desired.
• Familiarity/experience with mishap investigations
• Previous supervisory experience
• Strong and effective communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to build strong and effective teams, both internally as well as with external stakeholders
• Ability to identify and employ creative solutions to meet mission requirements while maintaining compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards
• Familiarity with systems, weapons, and occupational safety functional areas
• Familiarity with the environmental engineering functional area and associated industrial hygiene practices
• Specialized experience includes direct expedience with test safety and associated risk management practices.
• Rocket test experience preferred, but flight test safety experience is acceptable.

Telework

Yes, this position is eligible for situational telework; as determined by agency policy

Eligible for a Referral Bonus?

Yes

Series

0018

Requisition Number

06153

Posting End Date

12/01/2026