Principal Electrical Engineer

About The Role

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, payloads, satellite components, and more – all with the goal of opening access to space. The rockets and satellites we build and launch enable some of the most ambitious and vital space missions globally, supporting scientific exploration, Earth observation and missions to combat climate change, national security, and exciting new technology demonstrations.

SPACE SYSTEMS

At Rocket Lab, we’re not just launching rockets — we're building the future of space. Our Space Systems team builds everything from complete spacecraft, precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space, like solar panels, flight software, star trackers, optical systems, separation systems, radios, and more. Our Space Systems team has enabled more than 1,700 missions, ranging from interplanetary exploration, in-space manufacturing to national security and defense initiatives. The team has built spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions to the Moon and Mars, working with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force.

PRINCIPAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

Rocket Lab’s Optical Systems division solves mission-critical space domain and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) challenges for Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) customers. Our vision is to revolutionize the space-based payload market with innovative and novel designs for space, terrestrial, and airborne environments. Building on more than 20 years of electro-optical and infrared systems innovation from Geost, Optical Systems delivers solutions to the warfighter for responsive, scalable sensing solutions across all orbital domains.

• Team Leadership: Manage and lead a team of electrical engineers by fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment. Set clear objectives, provide regular feedback, and support the professional development of team members.
• Develop a professional engineering team culture to meet deadlines and uphold personal accountability.
• Manage the functional budget, generate ROI assessments for discretionary efforts such as process improvements or tool development, and control overhead charging rates to specified levels.
• Provide expert guidance and mentorship to the electrical engineering team by offering insights and solutions to complex technical challenges.
• Stay updated with the latest advancements in electrical engineering technology and guide the team in adopting best practices and innovative approaches.
• Act as core assessor in engineering gate reviews and peer review events to ensure work quality and task closure.
• Lead and participate in the design, analysis, and optimization of electrical systems for space applications.
• Use software tools, simulations, and analytical techniques to assess electrical design performance, and quality, power management, impedance matching, as well as digital, high frequency and nodal analysis.
• Determine the architecture and lead the detailed electronics analysis and design using both digital and analog circuit design skills.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including mechanical engineers, optical engineers, and systems engineers to ensure seamless integration of electrical systems into satellite platforms.
• Foster effective communication and teamwork across departments.
• Prepare technical reports, project documentation, technical proposals, and presentations to communicate progress, findings, and recommendations to internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Mission Assurance: Implement and support rigorous quality control measures throughout the electrical engineering process to ensure compliance with industry standards and customer requirements.
• Design for Manufacturing: Establish processes and design guidelines to support seamless handoff to production and long-term production scaling.
• Develop and measure a strong set of metrics for engineering development activities.
• Risk Management: Identify and assess potential risks and challenges in electrical design and development projects. Develop mitigation strategies and contingency plans to minimize project disruptions and ensure successful outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical or computer engineering; or other engineering discipline
• 12+ years of electrical hardware experience
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance
• Demonstrable experience in electrical engineering, with a strong focus on designing and developing electrical systems for space applications to include all facets of electronics design including high level architectural development, low level design of high speed, analog and digital printed circuit boards that will include interfacing with different communications buses
• Extensive design experience in meeting rigid EMI/EMC guidelines
• Design experience with opto-electronics background in low-noise, high gain opto-electronics circuitry, electrical amplification, and various other optical diode detection components
• Design experience with ability to migrate from R&D to Full Scale Production within a well-regulated AS9100 (ISO 9001) environment including accurate schematic capture, BOM creation, thermal, and timing analysis
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess complex electrical systems and propose effective solutions
• Excellent management skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks, manage resources, and deliver results within given constraints
• Demonstrated leadership skills with experience managing and mentoring technical teams
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and present technical information to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Would Be Nice To Have

• Master’s or PhD in electrical or computer engineering; or other engineering discipline
• Experience designing for space environments, including radiation impacts and mitigation
• Demonstrated success working in a dynamic environment and ability to manage competing priorities
• Active TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance