Senior Avionics Engineer – Spacecraft Hardware Lead

Rocket Lab; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer II to join the Optical Systems division in Tucson to support avionics hardware development from requirements through design, prototyping, testing, and production. You will collaborate across disciplines to deliver high‑performance EO systems for diverse missions.

The role requires 8+ years in electrical hardware design, strong FPGA/PCBA experience, and US citizenship.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering or related field.
• 8+ years of electrical hardware design experience.
• Experience in PCBA design with FPGAs.
• Ability to develop 'blank sheet of paper' design concepts.
• Familiarity with SPICE and Excel for circuit analyses.

Responsibilities

• Develop PCBA requirements with cross‑functional teams (systems, mechanical, thermal, optical, software).
• Plan and execute design verification testing and system integration testing.
• Own environmental qualification programs including EMI/EMC, TVAC, shock, vibration, and mission‑specific tests.
• Support failure analysis and root‑cause investigations for units in test, integration, or on‑orbit operations.
• Provide technical oversight and mentorship to junior engineers and support staff.
• Interface with suppliers, manufacturing partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Support production manufacturing including DFM reviews, yield improvement, and process optimization.
• Participate in design reviews and present technical recommendations to leadership.

Skills

Electrical hardware design

Analog electronics

Concept design

PCBA with FPGAs

Processors & FPGAs

Switch-mode power supplies

Communication interfaces

Analog instrumentation

Citizenship: US

SPICE analysis

Excel analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

Job description

Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer II to join the Optical Systems division in Tucson to support avionics hardware development from requirements through design, prototyping, testing, and production. You will collaborate across disciplines to deliver high‑performance EO systems for diverse missions.

The role requires 8+ years in electrical hardware design, strong FPGA/PCBA experience, and US citizenship.