Senior IT Systems Engineer — Platform & Automation Lead

Rocket Lab Corporation; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab, based in Albuquerque, NM, seeks a Senior IT Systems Engineer I to design, implement, and operate platform environments across VMware, Kubernetes, Linux, and Windows. The role reports to IT Infrastructure leadership and supports global engineering teams.

The candidate will drive upgrades, automation, and best-practice configuration management, ensuring secure, compliant, and highly available systems. Onsite work is required at the New Mexico facility.

Qualifications

• 5+ years IT experience and a bachelor’s degree or equivalent (9+ total years).
• 3+ years in a platform-focused technology role.
• In-depth experience with Ansible.
• In-depth knowledge of Kubernetes, VMware, Linux Configuration Management, Automation, and/or Infrastructure as Code.

Responsibilities

• Enable Rocket Lab engineers globally by leveraging platform tech to design, manufacture, and manage the next generation of rockets and space systems.
• Provide subject matter expertise, guidance, and delivery support for IT systems through platform infrastructure management.
• Lead upgrades and maintenance with a focus on reliability, security, and continuous improvement.
• Lead planning and deployment for platform infrastructure projects including VMware, Kubernetes, Linux, and Windows.
• Champion configuration management via automation deployments to ensure compliance, reliability, and cost control.

Skills

IT experience

Problem solving

Cross-functional work

Tools

Ansible

Kubernetes

VMware

Linux

Automation

Job description

Rocket Lab, based in Albuquerque, NM, seeks a Senior IT Systems Engineer I to design, implement, and operate platform environments across VMware, Kubernetes, Linux, and Windows. The role reports to IT Infrastructure leadership and supports global engineering teams.

The candidate will drive upgrades, automation, and best-practice configuration management, ensuring secure, compliant, and highly available systems. Onsite work is required at the New Mexico facility.