Lead Mission Design & Flight Dynamics

Rocket Lab Corporation; Auckland; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab Corporation is seeking a visionary Head of Mission Design & Flight Dynamics to lead the discipline across all missions and locations, spanning analysis, development, and operations. This role could be based in New Zealand or the United States and will steer the technology roadmap while guiding a globally distributed team.

You’ll mentor the Flight Dynamics group, balance live mission delivery with long-term capability growth, and coordinate with Spacecraft Operations, FSW, GNC, GSW,

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in aerospace engineering and 8+ years of applied spacecraft flight dynamics or operations experience.
• Ability to balance complex, parallel tasks under pressure.
• Proven experience motivating geographically distributed teams.
• Experience with hiring, performance, and remuneration cycles.
• Background interfacing with Spacecraft Operations, FSW, GNC, GSW, and Systems.

Responsibilities

• Own the vision and direction of the Mission Design & Flight Dynamics roadmap, balancing live mission delivery with long-term capability growth.
• Drive progress toward greater automation, efficiency, and expanded operational capability.
• Provide mentorship and prioritisation to the Flight Dynamics team during development and campaigns.
• Lead a global multi-site team, supported by regional Team Leads.
• Focus on strategic leadership, technical forecasting, emergent risk response, and cross-functional decision making.
• Maintain strong technical awareness across interfaces including Spacecraft Operations, FSW, GNC, GSW, and Systems.

Skills

Leadership

Mentorship

Global team management

Strategic thinking

Decision-making under pressure

Education

Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering or related field

Tools

Orbit determination

Trajectory optimization

Job description

Rocket Lab Corporation is seeking a visionary Head of Mission Design & Flight Dynamics to lead the discipline across all missions and locations, spanning analysis, development, and operations. This role could be based in New Zealand or the United States and will steer the technology roadmap while guiding a globally distributed team.

You’ll mentor the Flight Dynamics group, balance live mission delivery with long-term capability growth, and coordinate with Spacecraft Operations, FSW, GNC, GSW,