Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer II/Principal

Responsibilities

• Serve as the program's mission operations technical lead, setting technical direction and strategy
• Advocate for operability across the program to influence spacecraft and ground architecture
• Own mission operations requirements and lead validation and verification
• Define automation strategy and lead development of software-driven mission operations
• Design, develop, and test flight software sequences and FDIR/telemetry configurations
• Architect and test ground software, including scripting and automation frameworks
• Establish and steward integration, testing, and maintenance of mission operations tooling
• Author interface specifications, CONOPS, and contingency procedures
• Lead validation of flight products against simulation tools like flatsat, HITL, and SIL
• Support AIT teams across multiple spacecraft integrated tests
• Represent mission operations in program milestone reviews and design reviews

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or similar)
• 8+ years of experience in space mission design, satellite subsystems, or spacecraft operations (12+ years for Principal)
• 3+ years of experience leading engineering teams through aerospace projects
• Experience in roles such as Mission Lead, Flight Director, or Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer
• Experience supporting mission operations in an on-console or operator-in-the-loop capacity
• Thorough understanding of spacecraft subsystems (ADCS, EPS, C&DH, TCS, propulsion, FDIR)
• Understanding of orbital mechanics, space environment, and rigid body dynamics
• 5+ years of software development experience in Python, Ruby, C, or C++
• Active U.S. Government Secret Security Clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in an engineering discipline
• Prior experience in satellite system design or ground systems
• Exposure to modern development practices including Git, CI/CD, and cloud infrastructure
• Proficiency with Jira for mission task management
• Experience with Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing
• Active TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance

About the Company

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, payloads, satellite components, and more.