Principal Spacecraft Operations Engineer - Secret Clearance Required

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

PRINCIPAL SPACECRAFT OPERATIONS ENGINEER I- SECRET CLEARANCE

Based on site at Rocket Lab's headquarters in Long Beach, CA the Principal Spacecraft Operations Engineer is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, and optimal performance of a growing fleet of satellites while meeting mission objectives and SLAs for both commercial and government customers. This includes supporting diverse missions such as LEO constellations, interplanetary exploration, LEO rendezvous, and SDA-related deployments.

Your expertise would be critical during commissioning, orbit raising, routine operations, and potentially re-entry phases, ensuring the health and safety of Rocket Lab’s expanding fleet. The Spacecraft Operations team works closely with related teams, such as spacecraft design, AIT, flight software, propulsion, GNC, flight dynamics and ground software development to help improve both the ground and satellite-based capabilities over time.

The space operations experience at Rocket Lab is unique because you will cover a multitude of roles/positions and responsibilities, with the large majority of the technical products being supplied through the vertical integration/in-house.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

Serve as the program's mission operations technical lead: set the technical direction and strategy for operations, plan and prioritize the work of the mission operations staff, and act as the primary operations point of contact for program-level design decisions and trades

Advocate for operability across the program: influence spacecraft and ground architecture upstream so vehicles are designed to be operated safely, efficiently, and autonomously, and push for changes to program design and execution when operational needs demand it

Own mission operations requirements and lead requirements validation and verification for spacecraft missions and system-level capability and function

Define the automation strategy and lead the development of robust, software-driven methods for mission operations, testing, and data analysis to ensure efficient, repeatable, and reliable spacecraft operation

Design, develop, and test flight software sequences and FDIR/telemetry configurations to ensure spacecraft health and fault management through software-driven processes

Architect, develop, and test ground software for long-duration operations, including scripting and automation frameworks that make operations robust, hands-off, and scalable across a growing fleet

Establish and steward the integration, testing, and maintenance of mission operations tooling and codebases, including CI, version control, and release discipline. Ensure the on-call or shift schedules of operations

Author and own interface specifications, CONOPS, contingency procedures, and other operational design documents

Lead validation of flight products and procedures against spacecraft simulation tools, including flatsat, HITL, SIL, and digital twins

Support AIT teams across multiple spacecraft integrated tests (TVAC, propulsion stack, DITL

Provide program and product support to team leads and program managers, and serve as a key technical interface between the NZ and USA engineering teams

Represent mission operations in program milestone reviews, design reviews, and readiness gates, and drive continuous improvement through post-mission lessons learned

YOU'LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS AS A PRINCIPALSPACECRAFT OPERATIONS ENGINEER:

Bachelor’s degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or other technical engineering discipline)

12+ years of direct experience in any of the following: space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, spacecraft command control, or spacecraft operations

5+ years of experience leading teams of engineers through spacecraft missions or related aerospace projects

Previous experience in roles such as Mission Lead, Mission Director, Flight Director, or Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer

Previous experience supporting mission operations activities in an on-console or operator-in-the-loop capacity

Thorough understanding of key spacecraft subsystems and associated components, including attitude determination and control systems (ADCS), electrical power systems (EPS), space-to-ground communications, command and data handling (C&DH), thermal control systems (TCS), spacecraft propulsion systems, and fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR)

Understanding of the space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics

5+ years of direct software development experience (Python/Ruby/C/C++/other high-level languages), covering items such as spacecraft onboard flight scripts, ground scripting and automation, and data manipulation and analysis

US citizenship is required due to program requirements

Active U.S. Government Secret Security Clearance

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

Master’s or PhD engineering in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or other technical engineering discipline)

Prior experience in spacecraft operations

Prior experience in satellite system design

Prior experience in satellite ground systems

Exposure to modern development practices – GIT, CI/CD, cloud infrastructure

Proficiency with Agile issue-tracking tools, specifically Jira, for mission task management, status tracking, and bug reporting

Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) Testing: Exposure to testing frameworks that simulate software behavior in operational environments. ·

Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Testing: Familiarity with testing frameworks that integrate software and hardware systems.

Active TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance

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

Anticipated annual equity grant value is designed around function, level, experience, and other factors; realized value depends on vesting and stock-price performance.

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 HS