Senior Technical Program Manager

Responsibilities

• Lead the lifecycle of EO/IR sensing payloads from concept through qualification and scalable production
• Manage multiple active programs and make architectural decisions regarding pointing stability, sensitivity, and jitter
• Manage high-stakes subcontracts and suppliers to protect schedule and margin
• Synchronize cross-functional teams across optics, electronics, software, and data chains
• Serve as the primary point of contact for U.S. Government tracking, warning, and surveillance customers
• Partner with Business Development and Strategy on technical proposals

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, math, science, or a related technical discipline
• 5+ years of program management experience (8+ years for Level II)
• Proven track record of owning technical programs or products end-to-end
• Experience moving hardware and software from prototype to flight-ready production
• Understanding of EO/IR sensing, optical payloads, or focal plane arrays
• Active TS/SCI clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience transitioning low-volume prototypes into scalable production
• Deep experience with National Security Space (NSS) or sensing constellations
• Success in negotiating and executing large U.S. Government contracts
• Master's degree in Engineering, Optics, or a related field
• Proficiency with Jira, Confluence, and ERP systems

About the Company

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, payloads, and satellite components to open access to space.