Understand what the ads ask for and how to stand out.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 09/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Rocket Lab Corporation has 45 open engineer (other) jobs in 6 states, 0 of them posted in the last 7 days.
| Title ⇅ | Open jobs ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Principal Algorithm Engineer | 4 |
| Senior Algorithm Engineer II | 4 |
| Senior Spacecraft GNC Engineer II | 2 |
| Senior Spacecraft GNC Engineer I | 2 |
| Senior Harness Engineer I | 2 |
| Harness Engineer II | 2 |
| Principal Engineer | 2 |
| GNC Engineer II | 2 |
| Senior GNC Engineer II- Mission Formulation | 2 |
| Senior GNC Engineer I | 2 |
| Principal Spacecraft GNC Engineer | 1 |
| Senior Systems Safety Engineer II | 1 |
Most of these ads do not state a level.
38 of 45 listings publish a range. The median range is $125,300 – $196,275 a year (the employer's own figures)
0 of 45 ads mention a remote or flexible location.
Everything about working at Rocket Lab Corporation →All 45 jobs with filters →
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Open jobs ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach | California | 29 | 64% |
| Littleton | Colorado | 6 | 13% |
| Tucson | Arizona | 6 | 13% |
| Chantilly | Virginia | 2 | 4% |
| Stennis Space Center | Mississippi | 1 | 2% |
| Middle River | Maryland | 1 | 2% |
We counted how often Rocket Lab Corporation's own 45 ads (those with a full description) state each requirement. This shows the filters the ads apply before anyone reads a resume. We have no data on why candidates are rejected after applying, and we do not guess.
Years of experience. 42 of 45 ads (93%) state a number of years. The median is 5 years; 74% ask for 5 or more and 19% for 10 or more.
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 40 | 89% |
| PhD or doctorate | 25 | 56% |
| Master's degree | 23 | 51% |
| 'or equivalent experience' accepted | 3 | 7% |
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. citizenship mentioned | 45 | 100% |
| U.S. person / export-control (ITAR, EAR) rules | 45 | 100% |
| Background check or drug test | 45 | 100% |
| Security clearance mentioned | 30 | 67% |
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Nights, weekends, holidays or on-call | 38 | 84% |
| On-site or in-person work | 30 | 67% |
| Travel mentioned | 11 | 24% |
| Relocation mentioned | 1 | 2% |
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| python | 22 | 49% |
| c++ | 18 | 40% |
| matlab | 12 | 27% |
| cad | 9 | 20% |
| machine learning | 8 | 18% |
| jira | 5 | 11% |
| solidworks | 4 | 9% |
| kubernetes | 3 | 7% |
| docker | 3 | 7% |
| linux | 3 | 7% |
| excel | 1 | 2% |
| aws | 1 | 2% |
First, cover the basics the ads ask for most (see the requirements above: python (49%), c++ (40%), matlab (27%), cad (20%)). Then look at what separates higher-paid ads:
Among the 38 ads that publish a pay range, we compared the median pay of ads that name each item with ads that do not. This is a correlation in the ads, not a promise: an item can pay more because it comes with senior roles.
| Item named in the ad ⇅ | Ads naming it ⇅ | Ads not naming it ⇅ | Median pay midpoint with it ⇅ | Difference vs ads without it ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| jira | 5 | 33 | $197,000 | +$42,462 |
| PhD or doctorate | 19 | 19 | $179,550 | +$33,938 |
| matlab | 10 | 28 | $175,325 | +$18,825 |
| c++ | 14 | 24 | $174,038 | +$17,500 |
| Master's degree | 17 | 21 | $165,000 | +$10,362 |
| python | 18 | 20 | $147,250 | -$9,325 |
| cad | 8 | 30 | $135,000 | -$39,038 |
| Bachelor's degree | 33 | 5 | $154,538 | -$42,462 |
We describe only what the ads state. We do not know how recruiters rank candidates.
Where else the same role family is open, with the pay each posts:
| Employer ⇅ | Open engineer (other) jobs ⇅ | Posted range (median, yearly) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Leidos | 246 | not published |
| Apple | 202 | not published |
| SpaceX | 187 | not published |
| Shield AI | 61 | $150,000 – $230,000 |
| Esri | 48 | $98,592 – $173,576 |
| Applied Materials | 42 | not published |
| Databricks | 39 | $182,000 – $250,208 |
| OpenAI | 36 | $266,000 – $385,000 |
| Eaton | 32 | not published |
| Lucid Motors | 31 | $124,800 – $183,040 |
| Celonis | 30 | $156,000 – $183,000 |
| GE Vernova | 26 | not published |
| Deloitte | 26 | not published |
| Salesforce | 24 | not published |
| Radiant Industries Inc. | 23 | $150,025 – $211,838 |
45 open today, 0 posted in the last 7 days.
Mostly in Long Beach, CA (29), Littleton, CO (6), Tucson, AZ (6).