Principal Electrical Engineer

rocketlab

Tucson, AZ · Tucson · United States

Posted Jul 2, 2026

Other
106 OS - Design Engineering

Apply on company site

Job description

ABOUT ROCKET LAB

Rocket Lab is the end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems that keep the world connected, protected, expand humanity’s reach to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. We move fast, build real hardware for meaningful missions, and make the impossible routine. Come shape the future with us.

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. Whether it’s a single high-performance spacecraft, constellation, or the vertically integrated components that help them get to space — our world class Space Systems team is empowering some of the boldest and most ambitious space missions.

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.

As a Principal Electrical Engineer based at Rocket Lab’s site in Tucson, AZ, you will have the opportunity to support the utilization, career growth, and well-being of engineers in the Electrical Engineering functional group in addition to supporting programs as an individual contributor (approximately 80% individual contributor support and 20% functional management). An ideal applicant will possess a strong technical background in electrical engineering in addition to excellent leadership skills. With the support of the broader team, they will deliver fully validated systems that meet program specifications on cost, schedule, and quality targets. Join a driven team of pioneers relentlessly tackling challenging projects, delivering on the impossible, and making an impact on the future of space!

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

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
Functional Budgeting: 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
Technical Guidance: 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
Electrical Design and Analysis: 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
Collaboration: 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
Documentation, Reporting, and Writing: 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
Metrics Tracking: 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

YOU’LL BRING THESE 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-electronic 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

THESE QUALIFICATIONS 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
Experience in designing for high-reliability aerospace applications
Demonstrated success working in a dynamic environment and ability to manage competing priorities
Active TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance

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.

WHAT TO EXPECT

We’re on a mission to unlock the potential of space to improve life on Earth, but that’s not an easy task. It takes hard work, determination, relentless innovation, teamwork, grit, and an unwavering commitment to achieving what others often deem impossible. Our people out-think, out-work, and out-pace. We pride ourselves on having each other’s backs, checking our egos at the door, and rolling up our sleeves on all tasks big and small. We thrive under pressure, work to tight deadlines, and our focus is always on how we can deliver, rather than dwelling on the challenges that stand in the way.

Important information:

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

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. Learn more about ITAR here.

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.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for the application/interview process for a job in the United States should contact Giulia Johnson at g.biow@rocketlabusa.com.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.

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN NEW ZEALAND OFFICES ONLY:

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, click here ITAR Regulations.