Senior EO/IR Systems Engineer — Active Clearance

Rocket Lab; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab's Optical Systems division seeks a Senior/Principal Systems Engineer (EO/IR) to tackle DoD/IC sensor challenges, develop full EO/IR systems, and deliver mission-ready hardware and software.

The role requires an active clearance, U.S. citizenship, and 8+ years of experience, with strong Python/MATLAB and algorithm design skills for modeling, simulations, and exploitation algorithms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, optical sciences, science, or other technical discipline.
• Active Secret/Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
• U.S. citizenship is required, due to program requirements.
• 8+ years of professional experience.
• Experience with Python and/or MATLAB for analysis, modeling, simulation, or algorithm development.
• Experience with algorithm design, implementation, analysis, testing, and optimization.
• Ability to contribute to the completion of program and project milestones.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with researchers on projects related to machine learning, artificial intelligence, and computer vision
• Perform rapid prototyping and enhanced development to support integration into operational systems
• Develop and modify simulations for the design, prototyping, integration, testing, and performance assessment of EO/IR sensor hardware and algorithms
• Contribute strong programming ability and technical judgment to develop robust solutions for real-world mission problems
• Validate, optimize, and deploy advanced exploitation algorithms, including algorithm design, implementation, analysis, testing, and optimization
• Guide and author data collection, analysis, and performance assessment software
• Decompose high-level customer requirements into EO/IR subsystem requirements to inform hardware, software, firmware, and systems engineering execution
• Collaborate closely with firmware development, electronics interface control, hardware engineering, software engineering, and systems engineering teams
• Design calibration and characterization experiments for EO/IR sensors, sensor models, and supporting test equipment
• Participate in engineering lab environments to test, verify, and validate sensor models and EO/IR sensor performance in accordance with requirements
• Use excellent investigative and troubleshooting skills to assess issues and develop resolutions in the lab and in the field
• Work proactively to complete tasks with little direction
• Communicate effectively with project management, customers, and team members across disciplines
• Attend technical interchange meetings with team members and other project personnel, and represent the organization in matters pertaining to project development
• Provide status on assigned tasks and program schedules
• Review documents and resolve technical engineering and integration issues
• Manage time and resources in order to meet assigned deadlines
• Support travel or off-site work, as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills

Python/MATLAB

Algorithm design/analysis

Milestone delivery

Secret/Top Secret clearance

US citizenship

Education

Bachelor’s degree in physics/optical sciences/technical discipline

Job description

Rocket Lab's Optical Systems division seeks a Senior/Principal Systems Engineer (EO/IR) to tackle DoD/IC sensor challenges, develop full EO/IR systems, and deliver mission-ready hardware and software.

The role requires an active clearance, U.S. citizenship, and 8+ years of experience, with strong Python/MATLAB and algorithm design skills for modeling, simulations, and exploitation algorithms.