Principal Cloud Security Engineer

📋 Job Overview

Based onsite at Rocket Lab's office in Long Beach, CA the Principal Cloud Security Engineer must demonstrate a firm grasp of cloud-first, automated, API-driven security and statistical risk concepts and communication. They will work on securing all facets of Rocket Lab’s cloud presence: the wide array of vendor services, code pipelines deploying into prod and non-prod environments, and automation performing an assortment of business-critical operations. They will provide analyses including quantifiable statistical information regarding IT and Cybersecurity risk to business partners with fiduciary responsibility. They will support the IT organization to develop a secure, reliable, and fiercely efficient platform to empower the Rocket Lab’s objectives as a rapidly growing multinational space company.

🏢 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.

🎯 The Role

Rocket Lab’s IT team is responsible for how our global teams access information and run operations across our computer systems, networks, and devices. Our hardworking IT team is a group of flexible problem-solvers working in a fast-paced environment but who also thrive under the challenge of supporting all of our proprietary systems and people, from finance to launch operations.

✅ Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain security controls for hybrid cloud-based environments, including infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), software as a service (SaaS), and function as a service (FaaS) solutions.
• Design and develop custom automation in pursuit of cyber team objectives.
• Provide security support for internal and external design reviews related to security.
• Conduct security assessments and risk analyses to identify vulnerabilities and develop mitigation strategies for automated infrastructure such as public cloud, CI/CD pipelines, and agentic systems.
• Work with Infrastructure Operations to Implement and manage identity and access management (IAM) solutions to control access to cloud resources and applications.
• Develop documentation, plans, and proofs of concept for cybersecurity-related platform improvements.
• Configure and monitor cloud security tools and services.
• Collaborate with development teams to integrate security best practices into the software development lifecycle (SDLC), DevOps, and MLOps processes.
• Maintain systems to help the team stay up-to-date on emerging threats, vulnerabilities, and industry best practices related to DevSecOps/MLOps and recommend proactive measures to enhance security posture.
• Provide guidance and support to internal teams on security-related matters, including incident response, compliance, and security awareness training.
• Participate in regular security audits, assessments, and compliance reviews to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and industry standards.

📌 Required Qualifications

• Education and Experience in IT and Cybersecurity
  • 12+ years of experience in scripting languages (e.g., Bash, PowerShell, Python) and configuration management/infrastructure as code tools (e.g., Puppet, Ansible, Terraform).
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of work experience (16+ years of total work experience)
• Cloud Security and Architecture Expertise
  • Proven experience in cloud security architecture, design, and implementation across major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).
  • Hands-on experience with cloud security tools and services (e.g., AWS Security Hub, Azure Security Center, Google Cloud Security Command Center).
• Compliance, Vulnerability Management, and IT Governance
  • Experience working under US Government compliance regimes (e.g., CMMC, NIST, DISA STIG) and ITIL/Change Review systems.
  • Proficiency in vulnerability management systems (e.g., Tenable, Bringa) and CLI scanning tools (e.g., Trivy, OpenSCAP).
• Version Control, Networking, and Secure Communication
  • Extensive experience with git-driven version control systems (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
  • Strong understanding of networking concepts, encryption techniques, and secure communication protocols.
• Data and Analytics Expertise
  • Experience with databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, SQLite) and data formats (e.g., Parquet, Arrow).
  • Proficiency in analytics systems (e.g., PowerBI, Jupyter) and vendor-agnostic assessment engines (e.g., Cloud Custodian, Panther).
• U.S. citizenship is required, due to program requirements.

⭐ Desirable Experience

• Advanced degree in computer science, information technology, cybersecurity, or equivalent career experience
• Involvement with community cybersecurity organizations
• Experience with the following:
  • AWS GovCloud / Azure GCC High
  • CI/CD pipeline security
  • Tier 2 cloud vendors
  • Hybrid cloud engineering
  • SAST and DAST testing
  • Secrets management / vaults / HSMs
  • Cloud incident response / forensics
  • Log aggregators like Graylog, ELK, or Splunk

🎁 Benefits

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.

🛂 Visa & Eligibility

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.