Senior RF Mission Architect — Space Systems

Rocket Lab Corp.; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 144,000 - 206,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Long Beach, CA is seeking a Senior RF Mission Architect to own core payload architectures for defense and commercial customers. You’ll balance RF link budgets, antenna topologies, and digital‑analog integration while steering trades into winning proposals.

Collaborate with payload hardware, software, and spacecraft teams to ensure designs are buildable and meet SWaP‑C requirements, with a path to flight.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or other technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in aerospace or defense RF systems.
• Demonstrated track record architecting complex multi‑function RF, SAR/radar, or digital communication payloads from concept to proposal win.
• Active TS/SCI security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Architect Clean‑Sheet Payloads: run early mission trades and define payload topologies with boundary decisions.
• Drive Technical Capture: frame RF trade-offs, write core architecture narratives for proposals, defend design choices.
• Shape the Hardware Roadmap: influence internal R&D, payload prototyping, and technology investments.
• Bridge Concept to Flight: ensure architectures are buildable and transition smoothly to flight development.

Skills

RF systems experience

Security clearance TS/SCI

Architecting RF payloads

Proposal development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or other technical discipline

Tools

STK

MATLAB

Python

HFSS

CST

Job description

Rocket Lab in Long Beach, CA is seeking a Senior RF Mission Architect to own core payload architectures for defense and commercial customers. You’ll balance RF link budgets, antenna topologies, and digital‑analog integration while steering trades into winning proposals.

Collaborate with payload hardware, software, and spacecraft teams to ensure designs are buildable and meet SWaP‑C requirements, with a path to flight.