Senior Laser Communications Program Lead

Rocket Lab; Long Beach (CA); Presencial; USD 117.000 - 196.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Rocket Lab’s Space Systems team is seeking a Senior Program Manager I for Laser Communications at our Long Beach, CA HQ. You will own customer outcomes, drive multi-site programs from kickoff to on-orbit checkout, and partner with product, engineering, and operations to ensure on-time delivery and technical success.

You will manage scope, risk, and cost while enabling rapid, high-rate production of optical terminals for constellations and government customers.

Formación

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or Math.
• Track record leading a complex hardware program to delivery under pressure.
• Experience managing program cost, EAC, and changes with finance and product teams.
• Proven ability to move hardware from prototype to qualified, rate-production delivery.
• Experience with export controls and ITAR/EAR compliance.
• Strong customer-facing delivery with milestone reviews and acceptance.
• U.S. Person status or ability to obtain security clearance preferred.
• Experience coordinating across multiple sites and continents.

Responsabilidades

• Lead terminal programs from award through qualification, production at rate, delivery, and on-orbit checkout, ensuring plan adherence and stakeholder commitments.
• Coordinate with chief engineers on link performance, data rate, SWaP, environmental qualification, and interoperability.
• Own delivery profiles, identify supplier/test-capacity risks, and drive closure with Operations and Product teams.
• Partner with Supply Chain to manage critical suppliers as strategic partners to maintain on-schedule delivery.
• Own program startup, baselining, milestone reviews, ITAR obligations, customer acceptance, and closeout across U.S. and European sites.
• Serve as the trusted customer contact through milestone reviews, campaigns, acceptance, and pricing/configuration discussions.
• Mentor peers, raise standards for customer engagement and develop next-gen program leaders.

Conocimientos

Engineering foundation

Technical depth

5+ years space experience

Customer delivery

Production delivery

Program finance

Proof point

ITAR clearance

Educación

Engineering/Physics/Math degree

Herramientas

Jira

Confluence

ERP/MRP

Descripción del empleo

Rocket Lab’s Space Systems team is seeking a Senior Program Manager I for Laser Communications at our Long Beach, CA HQ. You will own customer outcomes, drive multi-site programs from kickoff to on-orbit checkout, and partner with product, engineering, and operations to ensure on-time delivery and technical success.

You will manage scope, risk, and cost while enabling rapid, high-rate production of optical terminals for constellations and government customers.