SPACE SYSTEMS

This is a rare opportunity to play a key role in Rocket Lab’s evolution into an end-to-end space company that delivers launch, spacecraft, and on-orbit operations. The Space Systems Division is shaping Rocket Lab’s future with Photon, our brand of high-performance satellites, enabling innovative missions in low Earth orbit and beyond including missions for NASA to LEO, the Moon, and Mars and commercial customers, including leading the design and manufacture of 17 high-power telecommunication spacecraft buses for Globalstar.

Rocket Lab is also growing our spacecraft components business, anchored on the acquisition of Sinclair Interplanetary manufacturing reaction wheels and star trackers in Toronto, SolAero Technologies manufacturing solar power and primary structure solutions in Albuquerque, Planetary Systems Corporation manufacturing launch separation systems in Silver Spring, and Advanced Solutions, Inc., provider of flight and ground software as a service in Denver. Our components business is key to vertically integrating our spacecraft solutions and enabling constellations for customers.

SENIOR RF ENGINEER

Based out of Rocket Lab’s global headquarters in Long Beach, the Senior RF Engineer is responsible for the development of RF communications systems for LEO, lunar, and interplanetary missions. You will work on the design, development, and testing of communications configurations for Telemetry, Tracking & Command (TT&C) and high-rate payload communications. You will support the Space Systems organization, with deliverables required for internal leadership, board of directors, and investors.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO: 

• Establish Communications Systems Variants:
  • Design and develop standard Telemetry, Tracking & Command (TT&C), and high-rate payload communications systems to be used across low Earth orbit (LEO), lunar, and deep space applications
  • Develop and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) between the spacecraft communications systems and on the ground
  • Define communications system roadmap

• Business Development Support:

• Select and tailor RF, Telemetry, Tracking & Command (TT&C), and high-rate payload communications solutions as appropriate to meet the requirements of business development opportunities
• Develop system drawings and schematics
• Develop system level RF analyses including link budget analyses
• Develop mass budgets and power budgets

• Trade Studies and Market Surveys:

• Conduct trade studies and work with internal technical teams as necessary to establish balanced technical solutions that align with the communications system roadmap
• Conduct market surveys and identify suppliers and components
• Engage prospective suppliers to ascertain component performance data and assess against system requirements
• Shortlist and recommend components and solutions

• Satellite Integration Support:

• Provide support as needed during spacecraft assembly, integration, & test
• Provide support as required during production of RF components and modules 

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS (Note: you must meet every qualification in order to be considered):

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or other technical discipline
• 5 years of experience with the design, test, and integration of RF communications systems
• Experience performing RF analyses, including cascaded device analysis and link budget analysis

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• General understanding of environmental performance standards such as GSFC-STD-7000 and associated qualification and acceptance testing
• General understanding of MIL-STD-461
• Experience designing and testing ground stations
• A solid theoretical and practical understanding of ranging techniques
• Experience working on interplanetary missions using the DSN
• Working knowledge of modulation and coding techniques
• Experience using test equipment including network, spectrum, and signal analyzers
• Proven communication skills and the ability to build strong working relationships