Business Development Engineer I

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.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Rocket Lab’s Business Development team is responsible for connecting customers across government and commercial sectors with our industry leading mission solutions spanning launch and space systems. They work closely with new and existing customers to understand their needs and develop tailored solutions to deliver their missions. Building and maintaining relationships with customers and internally with engineering and operations teams is at the core of our Business Development team. They have their fingers on the pulse of the space industry and are driven to deliver results for our customers and our business.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER I

Based at Rocket Lab’s global headquarters in Long Beach, CA, the HASTE Business Development & Strategy Engineer is an early-career opportunity to build expertise at the intersection of hypersonic flight testing, national security, and business development. In this role, you’ll support the growth of Rocket Lab’s HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) business and the pursuit of new opportunities supporting the nation’s hypersonic test and evaluation needs.

As an integral member of Rocket Lab’s Global Launch Services (GLS) Business Development team, you’ll work alongside experienced professionals and collaborate cross-functionally with Engineering, Mission Management, Production, and other teams. Reporting directly to the Director of Business Development, HASTE, you’ll develop experience supporting opportunity identification, market and competitive analysis, capture and proposal activities, and the development of mission concepts and business cases.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

• Draft proposals for new business opportunities in collaboration with Business Development and Engineering teams.
• Support the Business Development team in tracking opportunities, analyzing pipeline activity, and forecasting demand for HASTE capabilities.
• Coordinate with Engineering to assess mission requirements and develop timely technical responses to inquiries related to HASTE capabilities.
• Work cross-functionally with Production and Engineering to establish realistic, achievable NRE timelines and launch dates for future missions.
• Collaborate with Communications and Business Development to maintain and improve HASTE marketing materials, data sheets, and user guides.
• Partner with Engineering to identify and address technical gaps and support efforts to improve and standardize customer-facing technical documentation.
• Use internal tools, including Salesforce, to track leads, opportunities, and proposals and support Business Development reporting and KPI development.
• Support Business Development activities related to launch service agreements, technical assistance agreements, and non-disclosure agreements, as well as Jira ticket creation, tracking, and prioritization.
• Build and maintain knowledge of the suborbital launch and hypersonic test markets, including competitive capabilities, customer demand, and emerging trends, to support sales forecasting, pricing strategy, business planning, and HASTE product development.

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, or other technical discipline.
• Professional or internship experience in an engineering role within the aerospace, defense, or national security industries.
• U.S. citizenship is required, due to program requirements.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Experience or academic exposure to the design, manufacturing, integration, or testing of hypersonic systems, payloads, or flight vehicles.
• Experience with hypersonic systems, flight testing, or launch vehicles is a plus.
• Familiarity with current hypersonic flight test, missile defense, suborbital launch, or related national security markets.
• Experience working on fast-paced engineering programs with geographically distributed or cross-functional teams.
• Master’s degree in aerospace engineering or a related engineering discipline, such as mechanical, electrical, or computer engineering.
• Experience with Python scripting, trajectory generation, or trajectory analysis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated curiosity and enthusiasm for aerospace, hypersonics, and national security applications.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently when needed.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and colleagues with diverse technical backgrounds and areas of expertise.
• Ability to understand complex technical concepts and communicate them clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical audiences.

This position may require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, computer work, and occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.

Join one of the world's fastest-growing space companies and own a piece of it. In addition to competitive base pay, you'll receive company stock as part of your total compensation package, giving you a direct stake in our success. As we expand to new launch sites, groundbreaking missions, and global markets, your ownership has the opportunity to grow alongside the company.

Our comprehensive benefits package includes our industry-leading Employee Stock Purchase Program (with a 15% discount on company stock), top-tier medical plans (HMO, PPO, and a zero cost HDHP option with a significant HSA company contribution), dental and vision coverage, paid vacation and sick time, 11 paid holidays, flexible spending and dependent care accounts, paid parental leave, disability and life insurance, and a 401(k) retirement plan with company match.

Additional perks include subsidized EV charging, onsite fitness centers (where available), discounted gym memberships, complimentary snacks and beverages, 50% employee discount on our popular merch store, and a variety of other employee discounts.

Level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base Pay Range (CA Only)

$72,000—$100,000 USD

WHAT TO EXPECT

We’re on a mission to unlock the potential of space to improve life on Earth, but that’s not an easy task. It takes hard work, determination, relentless innovation, teamwork, grit, and an unwavering commitment to achieving what others often deem impossible. Our people out-think, out-work, and out-pace. We pride ourselves on having each other’s backs, checking our egos at the door, and rolling up our sleeves on all tasks big and small. We thrive under pressure, work to tight deadlines, and our focus is always on how we can deliver, rather than dwelling on the challenges that stand in the way.

Important information:

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Rocket Lab Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable. Learn more about ITAR here.

Rocket Lab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment at Rocket Lab, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for the application/interview process for a job in the United States should contact Giulia Johnson at g.biow@rocketlabusa.com.This dedicated resource is intended solely to assist job seekers with disabilities whose disability prevents them from being able to apply/interview. Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.

FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN NEW ZEALAND OFFICES ONLY:

For security reasons, background checks will be undertaken prior to any employment offers being made to an applicant. These checks will include nationality checks as it is a requirement of this position that you be eligible to access equipment and data regulated by the United States' International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

Under these Regulations, you may be ineligible for this role if you do not hold citizenship of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the European Union, or a country that is part of NATO, or if you hold ineligible dual citizenship or nationality. For more information on these Regulations, click here ITAR Regulations.