Senior RF Systems Program Lead — Advanced Payloads

Rocket Lab USA; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 134,000 - 201,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Top tier medical HMO

PPO & a 100% company-sponsored medical

dental and vision coverage

3 weeks paid vacation

5 days sick leave per year

11 paid holidays per year

flexible spending and dependent care

paid parental leave

disability insurance

life insurance

401(k) retirement plan with company

Employee stock purchase program

EV charging stations

onsite gym

food and drinks

other discounts

Job summary

Rocket Lab USA in Long Beach, CA seeks a Senior Technical Program Manager, Advanced RF Systems (TS/SCI). You will own the technical roadmap from concept to flight, leading multiple programs and coordinating across hardware, software, and spectrum management.

Responsibilities include building a high-performance team, managing strategic subcontracts, and delivering on-time, technically advanced RF payloads for national security, civil, and commercial missions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in physics, math, science, or other technical discipline.
• 8+ years of program management experience.
• Proven track record of owning a technical program end to end and delivering under pressure.
• Experience moving hardware and software from prototype toward flight-ready production.
• Understanding of transponders, SAR, or advanced communications systems.
• Experience identifying technical, schedule, or supply-chain risk and neutralizing it.
• Active TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

• Command the Lifecycle: lead RF payloads from concept through qualification, production, and flight.
• Lead the Team of Teams: run multiple programs, make architectural calls, manage trade-offs.
• Build the Bench: foster a culture of bold decision-making and fast iteration.
• Forge the Supply Chain: manage high-stakes subcontracts and suppliers as strategic partners.
• Unblock Excellence: synchronize cross-functional teams across hardware, software, and spectrum management.
• Influence the Future: be primary contact for NSS, civil, and commercial customers; partner on proposals.

Skills

Program management

TS/SCI clearance

Technical leadership

RF systems knowledge

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Jira

Confluence

ERP

Job description

Rocket Lab USA in Long Beach, CA seeks a Senior Technical Program Manager, Advanced RF Systems (TS/SCI). You will own the technical roadmap from concept to flight, leading multiple programs and coordinating across hardware, software, and spectrum management.

Responsibilities include building a high-performance team, managing strategic subcontracts, and delivering on-time, technically advanced RF payloads for national security, civil, and commercial missions.