Principal Electrical Engineer - Secret Clearance

Position Overview

As a Principal Electrical Engineer – Secret Clearance at Rocket Lab’s Optical Systems division in Tucson, AZ, you will drive the design, analysis, and validation of cutting‐edge electrical systems for space applications. Working within a mission‐critical team that supports DoD and Intelligence Community customers, you will lead engineering efforts, manage a team of electrical engineers, and collaborate with multidisciplinary groups to deliver systems that meet rigorous technical, cost, schedule, and quality targets.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Leadership: Manage and mentor a group of electrical engineers by setting clear objectives, fostering a collaborative culture, and ensuring personal accountability.
• Functional Budgeting: Oversee the functional budget, generate ROI assessments for process improvements, and control overhead rates.
• Technical Guidance: Provide expert insights and mentorship to tackle complex technical challenges and keep abreast of the latest electrical engineering advancements.
• Electrical Design and Analysis: Lead and participate in the design, simulation, and optimization of digital and analog systems including power management, impedance matching, and high frequency analysis.
• Collaboration: Work closely with mechanical, optical, and systems engineers to ensure seamless integration of electrical systems into satellite platforms.
• Documentation & Reporting: Prepare technical reports, project documentation, and proposals to communicate progress and recommendations.
• Mission Assurance & Design for Manufacturing: Implement quality control measures and establish design processes that support production scaling and compliance with industry standards.
• Metrics & Risk Management: Develop metrics to track engineering activities and devise strategies to mitigate project risks.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, computer engineering or a related field.
• 12+ years of electrical hardware experience.
• Active U.S. Government security clearance is required.
• Proven experience designing and developing complex electrical systems for space applications, from high-level architecture to detailed analog and digital circuit design.
• Extensive experience in meeting stringent EMI/EMC guidelines and expertise in low-noise, high-gain opto‐electronic circuitry.
• Ability to transition designs from R&D to full scale production in regulated environments (AS9100/ISO 9001).
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and management skills with a demonstrated ability to mentor and lead technical teams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in electrical, computer engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience designing for space environments including radiation impacts and mitigation strategies.
• Proven track record in high-reliability aerospace applications.
• Active TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance is a plus.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic work environment while managing competing priorities.

Benefits & Perks

• Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package.
• Opportunity to work on groundbreaking space missions with industry-leading experts.
• A collaborative, innovative work environment that supports career growth and professional development.