Senior Electrical Engineer I - Secret Clearance

Rocket Lab Corporation; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 124,000 - 206,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock purchase program

Health insurance and medical plans

Dental and vision coverage

401(k) retirement plan with company, 1

Employee discounts

Job summary

Rocket Lab Corporation in Long Beach, CA is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer I for avionics hardware development on spacecraft programs. You will collaborate across disciplines from requirements through design, prototyping, testing, and production, with opportunities to test on orbit.

A Secret clearance is required with TS/SCI eligibility. The role emphasizes PCBA development, analog electronics expertise, and robust verification testing in a fast-paced space environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of electrical hardware design experience including schematic capture and PCB layout.
• Strong background in analog electronics design.
• Proficiency with circuit analyses in SPICE and Excel.
• Active Secret Clearance with ability to obtain TS/SCI.

Responsibilities

• Develop PCBA requirements with other engineering disciplines.
• Schematic capture and PCB layout using Altium Designer.
• Perform circuit analyses including power, tolerance, and reliability.
• PCBA design verification testing and system integration testing.
• Provide production manufacturing support as needed.

Skills

PCB layout

Schematic capture

Analog electronics

SPICE analysis

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

Job description

Senior Electrical Engineer I - Secret Clearance

Long Beach, CA

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, precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space, like 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, 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 the vertically integrated components that help them get to space — our world class Space Systems team is empowering some of the boldest and most ambitious space missions.

SENIOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEER I

Based at Rocket Lab’s global headquarters in Long Beach, CA, the Senior Electrical Engineer Iwill participate in the development and test of avionics hardware for our spacecraft programs. You will work collaboratively with engineers of various disciplines and participate in all aspects of electrical hardware development, from requirements definition through design, prototyping, fabrication, testing, and production. As an engineer on the spacecraft development team, you will have frequent opportunities to test and operate your systems on-orbit. We're looking for people who are passionate about spacecraft electrical hardware design, with a willingness to learn in a fast-paced environment.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

• Develop PCBA requirements in collaboration with other engineering disciplines
• Schematic capture and PCB layout using Altium Designer
• Circuit analysis, including power, tolerance, and reliability related
• PCBA design verification testing and system integration testing
• Production manufacturing support as needed

(Please note: this position can be hired at the Senior Electrical Engineer I or Senior Electrical Engineer II level))

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS AS SENIORELECTRICAL ENGINEER I:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical or computer engineering; or other engineering discipline
• 5+ years of electrical hardware design experience, including schematic capture and PCB layout
• A strong background in analog electronics design
• Proficiency performing circuit analyses in SPICE and Excel
• Active Secret Clearance with ability to obtain a TS/SCI

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Master’s or PhD in electrical or computer engineering; or other engineering discipline
• Proficiency with basic electronic lab equipment such as power supplies, oscilloscopes, DMMs, signal generators, soldering irons, etc.
• Experience designing for space environments, including radiation impacts and mitigation
• Experience designing for high-reliability aerospace applications
• Experience designing rigid-flex PCBs and electromechanical design familiarity in general
• Experience with FPGA design and embedded software development for ARM core processors
• Demonstrated success working in a dynamic environment and ability to manage competing priorities

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.

Anticipated annual equity grant value is designed around function, level, experience, and other factors; realized value depends on vesting and stock-price performance.

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.

Our comprehensive benefits package includes our 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, and a 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.

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.

Total Compensation (base and equity)

$144,275 - $206,175 USD

$124,000 - $170,500 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 .

Rocket Lab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment at Rocket Lab, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for the application/interview process for a job in the United States should contact Giulia Johnson at [e-mail]. This dedicated resource is intended solely to assist job seekers with disabilities whose disability prevents them from being able to apply/interview. Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.

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 do not 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.

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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.

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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.

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• Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
• Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
• Intellectual or developmental disability
• Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
• Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
• Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
• Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
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