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Lead, Test & Launch Operations Engineer – Avionics

Rocket Lab · Wallops Island, VA

Posted Nov 3, 2026

Est. total comp~$182K–$281K

Apply on Rocket Lab's site ↗

From the posting

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.

NEUTRON  

Neutron is a medium-lift launch vehicle being developed by Rocket Lab, a publicly traded end-to-end space company. The rocket can deliver the mega constellations of tomorrow, enable interplanetary payloads, and support human spaceflight. As a reusable platform, Neutron will deliver a very cost-effective and reliable launch solution leveraging Rocket Lab's proven history with Electron – the second most launched rocket, worldwide, in 2024. If you're interested in joining an incredible team in a fast-paced and rewarding environment, this is your opportunity. 

HASTE  

HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) is a specialized variant of Rocket Lab's proven Electron launch vehicle, designed to support hypersonic flight testing and research missions. Operating from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 3 at Wallops Island, Virginia, Electron HASTE provides a unique capability to deliver hypersonic test vehicles to the required flight conditions for cutting-edge aerodynamic and propulsion research. …

Excerpt from Rocket Lab's public job board. Read the full posting.

Job inventory

Required 6 items

Education: Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, aerospace engineering, software engineering or a related field

Experience: 5+ years of experience in avionics systems, RF systems, telemetry, flight software, or launch vehicle operations

Skills and tools: Troubleshooting, Data analysis, HMI

Clearance and work authorization: US person (ITAR)

Preferred 2 items

Skills and tools: Root cause analysis, Data acquisition

Also in the posting: on-site; prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, computer work

Get ready for this role

Crew department: Surface Ops

Skills this kind of role usually asks for:

Operations planning and scheduling
Field test and integration
Reading drawings and procedures
Safety and hazard analysis
Equipment telemetry and logs

Train for it: the Surface Ops Track: Site Work, Heavy Equipment and Hauling. 5 short modules, a quiz after each one and a final test. Pass it and you get the Mars Mining Certificate in Surface Operations Fundamentals, with its own public page you can link from your resume.

Join the crew and train for this role About Surface Ops

Quick self-check: are you ready for this one?Free, no signup. Your answers stay in this browser tab.

I can do Operations planning and scheduling on the job, or have used it in a class or project I can do Field test and integration on the job, or have used it in a class or project I can do Reading drawings and procedures on the job, or have used it in a class or project I can do Safety and hazard analysis on the job, or have used it in a class or project I can do Equipment telemetry and logs on the job, or have used it in a class or project I have a project or work sample I could show an interviewer My resume is tailored to this kind of role I've practiced answering interview questions for this kind of job

Free. The department comes from the job title and can be off. A Mars Mining certificate shows you studied and passed our test; it isn't a license or academic credit.

About this listing. Pulled automatically from Rocket Lab's public job board and refreshed daily; closed roles are removed. Mars Mining Co. is not the employer, does not take applications and does not screen candidates. Field and level labels come from the job title and can be wrong.

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