Senior Electrical Engineer II

Rocket Lab Corporation · Pasadena, CA

  • Senior
  • Full-time
  • $174,300 – $269,875
  • Posted 2026-09-23
  • Confirmed live on 25 September 2026

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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.

ROCKET LAB ROBOTICS

At Rocket Lab Robotics, we build robotic systems that push the boundaries of what's possible in space. From Mars-proven robotic arms to precision motion control systems for the most demanding environments in our solar system, our team delivers advanced electro-mechanical solutions for planetary exploration and various satellite programs. We've engineered hardware that has operated on the surface of Mars on NASA's Perseverance rover, supported lunar exploration through the CADRE rover program, and developed precision mechanisms for spacecraft subsystems including solar array drives, antenna gimbals, and optical payloads. As part of Rocket Lab, we combine the focus of small, dedicated robotics teams with the resources of a leading end-to-end space company, empowering some of the boldest missions in history. We're looking for people who take ownership and drive a problem from first principles all the way through manufacturing and delivery.

SENIOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEER II

Based at Rocket Lab Robotics in Pasadena, California, the Senior Electrical Engineer II will participate in the development and test of avionics hardware for our robotics programs. You will work collaboratively with engineers across multiple disciplines and participate in all aspects of electrical hardware development, from requirements definition through design, prototyping, fabrication, testing, and production. We are looking for people who are passionate about robotics electrical hardware design and are willing to learn and execute in a fast-paced environment.

WHAT YOU'LL GET TO DO

• Take end-to-end ownership of hardware for robotics and motor-control applications.

• Drive architecture decisions that advance control algorithms, including work with microcontroller-based systems.

• Develop PCBA requirements in collaboration with other engineering disciplines.

• Perform PCBA design verification testing and system integration testing.

• Own and support environmental testing, including EMI/EMC, thermal-vacuum, shock, and vibration testing.

• Perform schematic capture and PCB layout using Altium Designer.

• Provide oversight and mentorship to support engineers performing layout, analysis, testing, and related activities.

• Lead electronic component and parts selection with consideration for electrical performance, reliability, environmental requirements, availability, lifecycle status, lead time, and cost.

• Develop and maintain engineering bills of material and partner with planning, supply chain, and manufacturing teams to support material readiness, long-lead procurement, and production schedules.

• Support sourcing and supplier selection for electronic components, PCBAs, and related hardware, including evaluation of alternates and resolution of obsolescence or supply-chain constraints.

• Drive design for manufacturability and testability, working closely with manufacturing and suppliers to ensure designs can be built, inspected, tested, and scaled reliably.

• Provide production and manufacturing support as needed.

• Support failure analysis and root-cause investigations for units in test, integration, or on-orbit operation.

YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or another engineering discipline.

• 8+ years of electrical hardware design experience.

• Ability to develop blank-sheet-of-paper design concepts.

• Experience in motor-control applications.

• Experience with analog signal chains.

• Proficiency performing circuit analyses using SPICE.

• Proficiency with board bring-up and debugging.

• U.S. citizenship is required due to program requirements.

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE

• Experience with field-oriented control.

• Experience with switch-mode power supplies.

• Experience designing electronics for space environments, including radiation impacts and SEU/SEL mitigation.

• Experience with environmental testing, including thermal-vacuum, shock, and vibration testing.

• Experience with EMI/EMC testing.

• Experience with Altium Designer for schematic capture and PCB layout.

• Proficiency with PCBA verification and validation.

• Experience with parametric, sensitivity, or worst-case analysis.

• Demonstrated expertise selecting electronic components and managing tradeoffs among performance, reliability, availability, lifecycle, lead time, and cost.

• Experience supporting BOM development, material planning, supplier sourcing, component alternates, and design-for-manufacturability reviews.

• Experience with Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA).

• Experience designing rigid-flex P

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