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Rocket Lab is seeking a Director, Radar Payload to lead the development of advanced space-based radar systems, including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and related payload technologies. Based at Rocket Lab's Long Beach headquarters, you will oversee the complete lifecycle of radar payload development—from architecture and design through integration, testing, and flight operations.
You will be responsible for leading a team of RF and radar engineers while managing multidisciplinary efforts across RF, digital, mechanical, thermal, structural, and software disciplines. Key responsibilities include defining radar payload requirements and performance specifications, conducting system design trades for new business proposals, driving waveform and antenna architecture decisions, and leading radar equation modeling and signal processing optimization for space-based operations.
Your technical leadership will span mission planning activities (ground track analysis, coverage optimization), integration of radar payloads with spacecraft bus systems (power, thermal, structural, data handling), development of test plans and RF/radar test campaigns, and radar calibration procedures. You will interface directly with customers and government agencies (NASA, Space Development Agency, U.S. Space Force), lead engineering reviews (SRRs, PDRs, CDRs, TRRs), and provide expert technical support for system anomaly resolution.
The role requires deep expertise in space-based radar systems across LEO, MEO, and GEO configurations, with hands-on experience delivering radar systems from requirements through mission operations. You must have expert-level knowledge of SAR imaging modes (stripmap, spotlight, ScanSAR, TOPS), processing algorithms, orbital mechanics, and how orbit parameters affect radar performance. Strong spacecraft design principles knowledge—including power systems, thermal control, and attitude determination—is essential.
Rocket Lab's Space Systems team has enabled over 1,700 missions ranging from interplanetary exploration and in-space manufacturing to national security initiatives, building spacecraft and payloads for missions to the Moon and Mars.
