Senior Systems Engineer – Space Optics & Payloads

Segment (Twilio); Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Tucson, AZ, seeks a Senior Systems Engineer I/II to design, develop, and test space-based electro-optical sensors and payloads. You will manage budgets, requirements, test plans, and deliver mission features for airborne and space platforms.

The role demands active US citizenship, a Secret clearance, and experience across development programs, system modeling, and interfaces, with leadership responsibilities on development teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical engineering discipline.
• Active clearance and 5+ years in aerospace, with 2+ years on development projects and 1+ year in leadership.
• Strong knowledge of requirements management and modeling tools (JAMA, Doors, Cameo).
• Experience with space or airborne instrument systems and development programs.
• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Preferred: TS/SCI clearance, advanced degree, and Cameo/MATLAB/Simulink.

Responsibilities

• Design, integrate, and develop space-based optical instruments and payloads for airborne/space platforms.
• Develop and maintain budgets, requirements, verification methods, simulations, analysis, and test data.
• Provide technical oversight of system architecture, interfaces, mission assurance, and compliance.
• Assist with program and product management, interface specs, and CONOPS definitions.
• Support development and testing of space payloads to be integrated on spacecraft.
• Travel or work off-site as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Systems engineering

Leadership

Requirements management

Space/aerospace domain knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a technical engineering discipline

Tools

JAMA

Doors

Cameo

MATLAB

Simulink

Job description

Rocket Lab in Tucson, AZ, seeks a Senior Systems Engineer I/II to design, develop, and test space-based electro-optical sensors and payloads. You will manage budgets, requirements, test plans, and deliver mission features for airborne and space platforms.

The role demands active US citizenship, a Secret clearance, and experience across development programs, system modeling, and interfaces, with leadership responsibilities on development teams.