Senior EO/IR Systems Engineer - AI & Prototyping Lead

Rocket Lab Corporation; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior/Principal Systems Engineer (EO/IR) in Tucson, AZ, to guide quantitative analysis, requirements decomposition, modeling, and sensor performance evaluation. You’ll collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to design and validate EO/IR systems for space missions and defense applications.

The role emphasizes hands-on development, fast prototyping, and integration into operational systems, with a focus on robust, real-world solutions across hardware, software, and

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.
• Develop and modify simulations for the design, prototyping, integration, testing, and performance assessment of EO/IR sensor hardware and algorithms.
• Validate, optimize, and deploy advanced exploitation algorithms, including algorithm design, implementation, analysis, testing, and optimization.
• 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.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

Algorithm design

EO/IR systems

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in physics or optical sciences or related technical discipline

Tools

Zemax

Code V

C++

Job description

Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior/Principal Systems Engineer (EO/IR) in Tucson, AZ, to guide quantitative analysis, requirements decomposition, modeling, and sensor performance evaluation. You’ll collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to design and validate EO/IR systems for space missions and defense applications.

The role emphasizes hands-on development, fast prototyping, and integration into operational systems, with a focus on robust, real-world solutions across hardware, software, and