Jobs Private USA → Operations and Management → Program management → Senior Program Manager I

Senior Program Manager I

Rocket Lab Corporation · Albuquerque, NM · posted 61 days ago

In short: Senior Program Manager I at Rocket Lab Corporation in Albuquerque, NM, posted 61 days ago.

By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 09/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.

Rocket Lab Corporationemployer

Albuquerque, NMlocation

Program managementsub-niche

61 days agoposted

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The job

LIVE Employer public job feed (private-sector employer) Source: the employer's public careers feed · Data: listed 2026-09-09

Employer	Rocket Lab Corporation
Location	Albuquerque, New Mexico
Field	Operations and Management › Program management
Level	not stated
Source category	LD205 SolAero - Program Management
Posted	2026-09-09 (61 days ago)
Work arrangement	On-site at the location listed
Pay	Not published in the source listing

Job description

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.

SPACE SYSTEMS

At Rocket Lab, we’re not just launching rockets — we're building the future of space. Our Space Systems team builds everything from complete spacecraft, precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space, like solar panels, flight software, star trackers, optical systems, separation systems, radios, and more.

Our Space Systems team has enabled more than 1,700 missions, ranging from interplanetary exploration, in-space manufacturing to national security and defense initiatives. The team has built spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions to the Moon and Mars, working with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force. Whether it’s a single high-performance spacecraft, constellation, or the vertically integrated components that help them get to space — our world class Space Systems team is empowering some of the boldest and most ambitious space missions.

SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER I

Based out of Rocket Lab's new site in Albuquerque, NM as part of the SolAero Technologies acquisition, the Senior Program Manager I is responsible for the execution of the program lifecycle, including definition, planning, execution, and closeout for assigned programs. The PM manages program scope, schedule, and budget (including revenue forecasting, margin, and profit & loss) in accordance with customer and corporate objectives, while operating within established policies, processes, and procedures. The PM ensures overall compliance with program contract requirements and partners with management, engineering, manufacturing, test, and quality assurance to achieve compliance.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

Serve as the principal point of contact for customers.
Accountable for the entire program lifecycle, including definition, planning, execution, and closeout.
Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to specifications.
Anticipate customer needs and manage changes in project scope, schedule, budget, and personnel to ensure customer satisfaction.
Responsible for and has authority over overall compliance with SolAero Technologies program requirements, including management, engineering, manufacturing, test, and quality assurance activities.
Provide visibility to customers on all aspects of performance.
Define program tasks and schedules with manufacturing and provide budgets for each task.
Interface with functional management to ensure adequate human and other resources are allocated to meet program cost, technical, and schedule requirements.
Responsible for program Profit & Loss; interface with Finance to compile monthly reports.
Preempt potential problems and provide effective solutions using concepts, techniques, knowledge, or processes.
Make recommendations on leadership solutions, ensure project objectives are set, and clarify team member roles.
Proactively manage and communicate project risks and issues.
Recommend solutions to bottlenecks and conflicts between multiple teams/functions.
Monitor and review team delivery for internal, external, local, and remote resources; hold team members accountable to commitments.
Communicate project progress frequently and effectively to staff and executive levels; work within the organization to evaluate project results.
Display a high level of critical thinking in resolving high-impact, complex, and/or cross-functional problems.
Ability to be broadly focused while paying attention to detail and concurrently managing multiple efforts.
Work effectively with all levels of the organization, including staff, business stakeholders, and management.
Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills, including those necessary for an executive audience.
Exhibit strong conflict resolution, negotiation, and influential skills.
Thrive in fast-paced, changing, and ambiguous environments.
Proven experience with a project management methodology.
Highly organized and detail-oriented.

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Project Management or related field.
5+ years of related experience, including project/program management or managerial experience with implementation of large-scale, cross-functional projects in a technology environment.
Program management experience, preferably in the solar and/or wind industries, specifically managing Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracts.
Experience in energy project management, financial analysis, or project financing within the solar industry is a plus, as well as a good understanding of the economics of energy projects, including capital cost, variable cost, and IRR calculations.
Demonstrated achievements in planning, directing, and implementing complex projects on time, within budget, and with desired functionality.
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Familiarity with ERP systems and WBS structures.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally.

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

Experience with space-based solar projects and technologies.
Experience with DoD and/or NASA programs.
Experience with a variety of contract types (firm fixed price, cost-plus, etc.).
Strong communication and presentation skills.
Strong conflict resolution, negotiation, and influential skills.
Highly organized and detail-oriented.

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.

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.

Explore around this job

Field: Operations and Management Sub-niche: Program management All jobs at Rocket Lab Corporation Jobs in New Mexico Jobs in Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque city guide New Mexico state guide Bernalillo County economy

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About the role

This is a — role in the Operations and Management field (Program management) at Rocket Lab Corporation.

We could not match this job title to one occupation in the official wage statistics, so no pay estimate is shown. Pay is not in the source listing; ask the employer for the range and compare in the 240 job niches.

Does the pay work here? (estimate)

Gross salary a year Filing State income tax rate %

Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; set your own state tax rate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.

How to prepare and behave

This is editorial guidance, not information from the employer.

Read the whole description and match your examples to its requirements; use the same words the posting uses where they are true for you.
Research the employer before the interview: what it does, who its customers are and recent news; prepare two or three questions about the work.
Arrive early (or log in early for a video call), dress one step above the daily dress code, and test your camera and audio beforehand.
Answer with short stories: the situation, what you did and the result. Give numbers when you have them and never invent them.
Be honest about gaps; say what you did to learn and how fast you can close them.
Ask about the team, the first 90 days, how success is measured and the schedule; do not open with salary and time off.
When pay comes up, know the market range for the occupation and your lowest acceptable offer before you answer; ask for the full package in writing.
Send a short thank-you message within a day, mentioning one thing you discussed.

Know your rights as a candidate and an employee:

The city

The job is in Albuquerque, NM. Below is what the official statistics say about living and working there.

How Albuquerque compares. Among the 40 largest places in New Mexico, Albuquerque is #1 by population, #4 for college degrees (#1 = most), #33 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #8 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Bernalillo County, is #4 of 33 counties for average pay ($63,493).

The place in numbers

Albuquerque has 562,218 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 26.5% of the population of New Mexico. It covers 187 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,002 people per square mile. The median age is 38.8, about the same as the state median (38.8 against 39.4).

Housing

The median gross rent is $1,145 a month (rent plus utilities), 7% above the state median ($1,145 against $1,067). Over a year that is 20.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $291,500, which is 4.3 times the median household income ($68,317). 61.8% of households own their home, 12% below the state average (61.8% against 70.0%).

Work and pay

The Albuquerque, NM metropolitan area has 404,700 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,060 a year, 6% below the national median ($48,060 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (54,860 jobs, median $45,850); food preparation and serving related (38,230 jobs, median $30,990); sales and related (31,990 jobs, median $35,960). The area is most specialised in architecture and engineering (2.0 times) and construction and extraction (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are architecture and engineering ($131,720) and management ($108,920). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Bernalillo County was 4.6%. 63.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Bernalillo County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.

Getting around

Among workers, 70.7% drive alone, 0.9% use public transit, 2.0% walk, 14.9% work from home. 7.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 42% below the state average (7.5% against 12.8%).

People and education

39.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 27% above the state share (39.2% against 31.0%). 10.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 13% above the state share (10.6% against 9.4%). The poverty rate is 15.5%, 13% below the state rate (15.5% against 17.8%).

Climate

The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 35°F (1.6°C). About 258 mm (10 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (51 mm) and Mar the driest (11 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.

Nearby cities to compare

Closest cities in this guide: North Valley (5 miles, rent 22% lower); South Valley (7 miles, rent 17% lower); Corrales (9 miles, similar rent); Rio Rancho (13 miles, rent 32% higher). Rent differences are against Albuquerque; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.

Full guide to Albuquerque →New Mexico guide All jobs in Albuquerque

Official links for Albuquerque

These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.

Where to live

CITY Official statistics Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year (via Census Reporter) · Data: ACS 2020–2024

Places within 50 miles (straight line) of Albuquerque, NM that have a guide, with what living there costs. No pay estimate is shown because the title did not match one occupation.

Sort:

Place ⇅	Distance from the job city ⇅	Median rent ⇅	Median home value ⇅	Median household income ⇅	Commute 45+ min ⇅	Rent as % of occupation pay ⇅	Open jobs there ⇅
Albuquerque, NM	0 mi	$1,145	$291,500	$68,317	7.5%	n/a	Jobs
North Valley, NM	5 mi	$893	$302,700	$61,498	6.1%	n/a	—
South Valley, NM	7 mi	$954	$224,300	$58,224	10.0%	n/a	—
Corrales, NM	9 mi	$1,143	$571,500	$102,307	14.4%	n/a	—
Rio Rancho, NM	13 mi	$1,514	$310,200	$89,596	21.6%	n/a	—
Bernalillo, NM	15 mi	$902	$255,500	$63,880	14.0%	n/a	—
Los Lunas, NM	22 mi	$1,110	$262,900	$62,330	13.2%	n/a	—
Edgewood, NM	24 mi	$1,114	$306,400	$84,761	28.0%	n/a	—
Belen, NM	25 mi	$916	$166,100	$42,627	21.1%	n/a	—

Career paths

We could not match this title to one occupation, so here are the other sub-niches in Operations and Management, where your skills may carry over:

Project management (250) Supply chain and logistics (627) Business operations and strategy (1712) Executive and general management (2105)

Distances

CITY Calculation (straight line) Source: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (coordinates) · Data: 2024

How far Albuquerque, NM is from the 20 largest US cities, in straight-line miles (not driving distance). Click a column to sort.

Sort:

From ⇅	Straight-line distance (miles) ⇅	Population of that city ⇅
Phoenix, AZ	328 mi	1,642,323
Denver, CO	336 mi	718,877
Oklahoma City, OK	516 mi	697,125
Fort Worth, TX	556 mi	963,194
Dallas, TX	588 mi	1,307,930
San Antonio, TX	614 mi	1,479,835
Austin, TX	614 mi	979,539
San Diego, CA	621 mi	1,389,526
Los Angeles, CA	673 mi	3,857,263
Houston, TX	752 mi	2,328,253
San Jose, CA	858 mi	990,138
San Francisco, CA	928 mi	830,235
Chicago, IL	1,123 mi	2,711,226
Indianapolis, IN	1,167 mi	885,860
Seattle, WA	1,183 mi	754,195
Columbus, OH	1,335 mi	914,802
Charlotte, NC	1,454 mi	903,844
Jacksonville, FL	1,485 mi	977,670
Philadelphia, PA	1,750 mi	1,579,706
New York, NY	1,814 mi	8,483,844

The employer

Rocket Lab Corporation is the employer in this listing. See all its open jobs here →

We do not hold headcount or revenue for this employer. Check its careers site and, if it is listed on a stock exchange, its public filings (SEC EDGAR search).

What it is like to work at a company (culture, schedules, benefits) is not in the source data, so we do not describe it. Read the description and ask the questions under "How to prepare".

Other open jobs at Rocket Lab Corporation

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FAQ

What is the Senior Program Manager I job at Rocket Lab Corporation?

A private-sector role in operations and management (program management) listed 61 days ago. The full description is on this page and on the employer's page.

Where is this job?

Albuquerque, NM.

How do I apply?

Use the "View this job and apply on the employer's page" button. AtiveSite does not receive applications.

How much does it pay?

The listing does not publish pay, and we could not match the title to one official occupation.

What is the cost of living there?

Median rent in Albuquerque is $1,145 a month and median household income $68,317 (ACS 2020–2024).

How old is this listing?

It was posted on 2026-09-09 (61 days ago). Jobs older than 90 days are not shown.

Are there similar jobs?

Yes: browse program management jobs in New Mexico.

Sources and terms

Job data: Rocket Lab Corporation careers page public feed (listing dated 2026-09-09). The job disappears from this site when it disappears from the source.
Wages and projections: BLS OEWS (May 2025) and Employment Projections 2025–35.
City and county figures: Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024, BEA, BLS QCEW and LAUS, NASA POWER climatology; distances from Census Gazetteer coordinates.

AtiveSite is not affiliated with or endorsed by the employer or any government agency, and does not process applications. Verify every detail with the employer before acting.

Sources

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