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Lab Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

The DC Power group, a part of the accelerator engineering systems department, at Jefferson Lab is seeking an individual who will work on installing, repairing, constructing, and maintaining high ...

Senior DevOps Engineer I

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$134K - $172K/yr

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services and spacecraft design. As a Senior DevOps Engineer I, you will automate CI/CD pipelines and deploy applications for ...

Senior DevOps Engineer I

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$134K - $172K/yr

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services and spacecraft design. The Senior DevOps Engineer I will support the U.S. Space Development Agency's Proliferated ...

Senior DevOps Engineer I

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$134K - $172K/yr

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services and advanced spacecraft design. The Senior DevOps Engineer I will support the Optical Systems division by automating CI ...

Sr. FPGA Engineer II

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$107K - $146K/yr

ABOUT ROCKET LAB Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services ... SENIOR FPGA ENGINEER II Rocket Lab's Optical Systems division solves mission-critical space domain ...

Sr. FPGA Engineer II

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$107K - $146K/yr

ABOUT ROCKET LAB Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services ... SENIOR FPGA ENGINEER II Rocket Lab's Optical Systems division solves mission-critical space domain ...

COOP/DR & Lab Engineering * Contribute to COOP/DR planning, design, and testing to ensure high availability and rapid failover capabilities. * Support lab environment setup for replication, patch ...

Showing results 41-60

Lab Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$16

$47

$71

How much do lab engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average hourly pay for lab engineer in Virginia is $47.50, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $36.44 and $59.57 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a lab engineer do?

Lab Engineers are professionals responsible for designing, maintaining, and operating laboratory equipment and systems. They work in various fields such as electronics, chemistry, or biomedical engineering, ensuring experiments and tests are conducted accurately and safely. Lab Engineers also troubleshoot technical issues, calibrate equipment, and often assist researchers or students with their projects. Their work is critical for supporting research and development, quality control, and product testing.

What is a lab engineer?

A lab engineer is responsible for the IT infrastructure of a laboratory. As a lab engineer, your job duties include conducting technical evaluations of hardware equipment and software, deploying code, troubleshooting and fixing issues, maintaining the server and network systems, and coordinating with scientists, lab technicians, system engineers, and operations staff. You need a bachelor’s degree in a technical field and experience with networking principles, middleware platform, and database connectivity. You can find lab engineer jobs in the science and medical research industry.

What are some common challenges faced by lab engineers and how can they be addressed?

Lab Engineers often encounter challenges such as troubleshooting complex equipment malfunctions, managing multiple experiments simultaneously, and ensuring strict adherence to safety protocols. Staying organized and maintaining detailed documentation can help manage workload and prevent errors. Regular communication with team members and ongoing training on new technologies are also essential for staying current and effective in the role.

What is the difference between Lab Engineer vs Laboratory Technician?

AspectLab EngineerLaboratory Technician
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering, science, or related fieldDiploma or associate degree in laboratory technology
Work EnvironmentDesign, develop, and oversee laboratory experiments and equipmentPerform routine tests, prepare samples, and maintain lab equipment
Employer & Industry UsageResearch labs, manufacturing, quality controlMedical labs, research facilities, industrial testing

Lab Engineers focus on designing and managing laboratory processes and equipment, often requiring engineering degrees. Laboratory Technicians perform routine testing and sample preparation, typically with technical diplomas. Both roles are essential in lab settings but differ in responsibilities and qualifications.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a lab engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Lab Engineer, you need a strong background in engineering or applied sciences, analytical problem-solving abilities, and typically a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Familiarity with lab instrumentation, data acquisition systems, and standard safety protocols is essential, and certifications such as OSHA or Six Sigma can be beneficial. Strong attention to detail, effective communication, and organizational skills set standout candidates apart. These competencies ensure accurate experimentation, reliable results, and a safe, efficient laboratory environment.
Infographic showing various Lab Engineer job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 57% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 29% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $98,810 per year, or $47.5 per hour.

Senior DevOps Engineer II

Rocket Lab Corporation

Chantilly, VA • On-site

$133K - $171K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 21 days ago


Rocket Lab rating

9.2

Company rating: 9.2 out of 10

Based on 14 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

4th of 72 rated aerospace companies


Job description

ABOUT ROCKET LAB

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, payloads, satellite components, and more – all with the goal of opening access to space. The rockets and satellites we build and launch enable some of the most ambitious and vital space missions globally, supporting scientific exploration, Earth observation and missions to combat climate change, national security, and exciting new technology demonstrations.

Our Electron rocket has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 230 satellites to orbit, all while we work to develop Neutron, our upcoming medium-lift, reusable launch vehicle for larger constellation deployment. Our Space Systems business designs and builds our extensive line of satellites, payloads, and their components, including spacecraft that have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars and components used on the James Webb Space Telescope.

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 DEVOPS ENGINEER II

Rocket Lab's Optical Systems division solves mission-critical space domain and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) challenges for Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) customers. Our vision is to revolutionize the space-based payload market with innovative and novel designs for space, terrestrial, and airborne environments. Building on more than 20 years of electro-optical and infrared systems innovation from Geost, Optical Systems delivers solutions to the warfighter for responsive, scalable sensing solutions across all orbital domains.

As a Senior DevOps Engineer II based at our Optical Systems site in Chantilly, VA, you will have the opportunity to support Tranche 3 of the U.S. Space Development Agency's (SDA) Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) by automating CI/CD pipelines and deploying applications for advanced Electro-Optical (EO/IR) technology.

WHAT YOU'LL GET TO DO

  • Support AWS development, test, and production environments
  • Collaborate with project leads and team members
  • Align with Security and IT for policy assurance
  • Develop and support pipelines that include automation and configurations for containers, data management, and release/deployment solutions for programs
  • Automate software deployments into varied and complex environments using virtual machines, container technologies, Kubernetes, Cloud environments, and bare metal servers
  • Support engagements related to assessing, refactoring and identifying opportunities for existing applications to leverage modern application architectures (e.g. containers)
  • Participate in Agile sprints and associated activities
  • Support onsite work, as well as travel or offsite work, as needed
  • Perform other duties as assigned

YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS AS SENIOR DEVOPS ENGINEER II:

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science or computer engineering or equivalent discipline with 8+ years of experience
  • Experience in Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud-based development and operations environments
  • Active TS/SCI security clearance

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

  • Master's degree in computer science, engineering, or other technical field
  • Experience with architecting solutions in AWS Cloud environments
  • Experience in key AWS services (such as EC2, ELB, RDS, Route53, CloudWatch, S3, etc.)
  • Experience in supporting DevOps tools and pipeline environments, such as Jira, SharePoint, Bitbucket, Jenkins, SonarQube, and Artifactory
  • Experience working with Container technologies (such as Kubernetes, Docker, etc.)
  • Proficiency in Linux system administration
  • Ability to design, enable, and deliver scalable and automated strategies through Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools, such as Ansible and Terraform
  • Experience supporting cloud network resources such as VPC, URL proxies, private link, DNS, ACLs, Security groups, routing tables, etc.
  • Background in scripting and/or coding, such as Java, Python, Terraform, and/or Bash
  • CompTIA Security+ certification (or in pursuit of)
  • Experience with on-premises to cloud migrations or IT transformations
  • Experience in database administration; one or more of MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL
  • Experience in AWS ElastiCache for Redis
  • Expertise in the Git version control system command line
  • Familiarity with Information Security frameworks/standards (i.e. CIS, NIST, RFC2196, etc.)
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate or Professional
  • Excellent oral, written, and verbal communication skills

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.


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