Job brief: Principal Integration & Test Engineer

What JoRoute checked · Checked by JoRoute

• Listed on Rocket Lab's own job board. JoRoute does not take listings from job ads or recruiters.
• First seen by JoRoute 2026-11-04 (3 days ago); last confirmed on the board 2026-11-06.
• The apply link opens job-boards.greenhouse.io, the address Rocket Lab's board gives for this job.
• No other listing with this title and place on this board in the last 90 days.
• No layoff notices (WARN) under this name in the state files JoRoute reads.

What the listing says · Employer's own words, not checked

• Pay: Not published
• Job type: Not stated
• Where: Tucson, AZ · Geost Main
• Posted: 2026-10-14

What the job asks · Employer's own words, not checked

Level: Lead / staff. The title says "Principal".

Must have

• Building on more than 20 years of electro-optical and infrared systems innovation from Geost, Rocket Lab Optical Systems delivers solutions to the warfighter for responsive, scala…
• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field
• 12+ years of experience integration and test of complex systems
• U.S. citizenship with ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
• Active TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance
• Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Rocket Lab Employees must be a U.S.

Main duties

• Lead integration, alignment, calibration, and verification activities for advanced EO/IR optical payloads used in spaceborne sensor systems
• Develop and refine test procedures, optical characterization methods, and performance-validation processes
• Support environmental tests (TVAC, vibe, shock), monitor optical performance, and ensure compliance with mission requirements
• Drive resolution of integration issues, test anomalies, and optical performance deviations—we hustle and we do the impossible
• Work cross-functionally with Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, and AIT teams to ensure seamless optical-mechanical-electrical integration

Lines copied from the posting, not rewritten. "Preferred" or "nice to have" items are not listed as must-haves.

How it compares · Compared by JoRoute from listings

• Typical listed pay for engineer jobs in Tucson, AZ: $105k a year (7 listings, 3 employers). This listing does not publish pay to compare.
• Across Rocket Lab's 456 open listings, 24% of those with a posting date were first posted more than 60 days ago. How Rocket Lab hires

What nobody outside the employer knows · Not known

• Whether the role is already filled or on hold: employers often leave listings up.
• How many people applied, and who reads the applications.
• The pay an offer would carry.

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