Senior Program Manager I/II - Special Programs (TS/SCI)

Rocketlab; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company equity

Top tier medical coverage

Paid parental leave

401(k) retirement plan with company match

Onsite gym

Job summary

Rocketlab is looking for a Senior Technical Program Manager I/II in Long Beach, CA. In this role, you will own the technical roadmap and lead teams to take next-generation mission platforms from prototype to production.

Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline and 5+ years of program management experience. The position requires an active TS/SCI clearance and offers competitive compensation and benefits.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of program management experience.
• Demonstrated track record of owning a technical program or product end to end.
• Experience identifying technical or schedule risk and neutralizing it.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple active programs, managing trade-offs in critical areas.
• Build and lead the team for mission platforms from concept to production.
• Serve as primary point of contact for U.S. Government customers.

Skills

Program management

Leadership

Risk management

Technical expertise

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, science, or other technical discipline

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

SENIOR TECHNICAL PROGRAM MANAGER I/II - SPECIAL PROGRAMS (TS/SCI Required)

Based at Rocket Lab's global headquarters in Long Beach, CA, you are the program authority for one of our most sensitive next-generation mission platforms. You own the technical roadmap and strategic program decisions from the first “blank sheet” prototype, through flight qualification, and into responsive production. This is a high-ownership role: you'll immerse yourself in the operational realities of the warfighter to turn their hardest problems into concrete technical milestones, and you'll be the person the program runs on.

Note: this position can be hired at the Senior Technical Program Manager I OR Senior Technical Program Manager II level.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

• Command the Lifecycle: Build and lead the team that takes highly maneuverable, time‑critical mission platforms from a “blank sheet” concept through qualification, responsive production, and flight, and own the technical roadmap that grows the team's core capabilities.
• Lead the Team of Teams: Run multiple active programs at once, make sound architectural calls with Chief Engineers, navigate the hardest trade‑offs in closed‑loop guidance and control, on‑board autonomy, and propulsion, and personally dive into the most program‑threatening problems alongside the team.
• Build the Bench: Grow a culture where strong people take smart, healthy risks and the best idea wins; we back bold calls and treat an intelligent miss as the cost of moving fast and coach and develop the next generation of program and team leaders.
• Forge the Supply Chain: Manage high‑stakes subcontracts and suppliers as strategic partners essential to the mission, protecting schedule and margin.
• Unblock Excellence: Synchronize cross‑functional teams across hardware, software, GNC, and mission assurance and clear roadblocks quickly so the team keeps moving at speed and quality stays high.
• Influence the Future: Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned U.S. Government national security customers, and partner with BD & Strategy on proposals and technical narratives that define the next generation of national security mission systems.

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS AS A SENIOR TECHNICAL PROGRAM MANAGER I:

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, science, or other technical discipline
• 5+ years of program management experience
• A demonstrated track record of owning a technical program, product, or team end to end and carrying it across the finish line under real pressure, we hire on what you've shipped, not years logged
• Evidence you've moved real hardware and software from prototype toward qualified, flight‑ready systems
• Understanding of the nuances of closed‑loop guidance and control, on‑board autonomy, or propulsion for high‑performance platforms
• Experience identifying technical, schedule, or supply‑chain risk and neutralizing it before it impacts the mission
• Active TS/SCI clearance

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS AS A SENIOR TECHNICAL PROGRAM MANAGER II:

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, science, or other technical discipline
• 8+ years of program management experience
• A demonstrated track record of owning a technical program, product, or team end to end and carrying it across the finish line under real pressure, we hire on what you've shipped, not years logged
• Evidence you've moved real hardware and software from prototype toward qualified, flight‑ready systems
• Understanding of the nuances of closed‑loop guidance and control, on‑board autonomy, or propulsion for high‑performance platforms
• Experience identifying technical, schedule, or supply‑chain risk and neutralizing it before it impacts the mission
• Active TS/SCI clearance

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Production Velocity: A proven playbook for transitioning low‑volume prototypes into responsive production without sacrificing mission reliability.
• Domain Authority: Deep experience navigating National Security Space (NSS) and the most time‑critical mission sets.
• Capture & Customer: Demonstrated success negotiating, capturing, and executing large U.S. Government contracts.
• Advanced Technical Credibility: A Master's degree in Engineering or a related field that lets you peer‑review technical roadmaps.
• Systems & Toolchain Fluency: You speak Systems Engineering — trade studies, interface control, requirement integrity — and use Jira, Confluence, and ERP to keep program health visible at speed.
• Depth of Reps: Multiple program cycles or 8+ years in space/defense, sharpen the edge, but we weight the hardest thing you've shipped over the count.

WORKING CONDITIONS

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.

BENEFITS

Base Pay Range (CA Only)

$115,000 — $180,000 USD

Base salary is just one component of our total rewards package at Rocket Lab. Employees may also receive company equity and access to a robust benefits package including: top tier medical HMO, PPO & a 100% company‑sponsored medical HSA plan option, dental and vision coverage, 3 weeks paid vacation and 5 days sick leave per year, 11 paid holidays per year, flexible spending and dependent care savings accounts, paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance, and access to a 401(k) retirement plan with company match. Other perks include: Discounted employee stock purchase program, subsidized EV charging stations, onsite gym, food and drinks, and other discounts.

ITAR & Eligibility

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.

Eligibility for New Zealand Offices

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, consult relevant resources.

Equal Employment Opportunity

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.

Reasonable Accommodation

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.