Senior Spacecraft Ground Ops Software Engineer

Rocket Lab Corp.; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Auckland, New Zealand, seeks a Senior Software Engineer for Spacecraft Ground Operations to develop critical ground software for missions from LEO to interplanetary. You will join a dynamic team shaping the future of space exploration.

Responsibilities include building mission-critical software, full-stack web apps, and supporting live operations. Requires 5+ years in software, Python, TypeScript, and strong Linux/dockers/kubernetes skills. The role is based in Auckland.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level degree in a relevant field with at least 5 years of professional experience.
• Proficient in Python (async) and TypeScript with modern frontend frameworks.
• Strong SQL/RDBMS design, containerization with Docker/Kubernetes, cloud familiarity, and Linux proficiency.
• Experience with unit, integration, and end-to-end testing.

Responsibilities

• Develop mission-critical operations software for spacecraft command and data handling, automation, and visualization across missions.
• Build full-stack web applications including DB schema, back-end services, front-end interfaces, and machine-to-machine communications.
• Support live spacecraft operations with on-call expertise during critical mission phases and ground tests.
• Architect scalable software solutions adaptable to diverse mission requirements.
• Lead technical initiatives including scrum facilitation, code reviews, architecture decisions, and mentoring.

Skills

Python (async backend)

TypeScript (Angular/React/Vue)

SQL & RDBMS

Docker & Kubernetes

Linux

Agile / Scrum

Unit / Integration testing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering / CS / EE

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure)

REST APIs

WebSockets

Job description

Rocket Lab in Auckland, New Zealand, seeks a Senior Software Engineer for Spacecraft Ground Operations to develop critical ground software for missions from LEO to interplanetary. You will join a dynamic team shaping the future of space exploration.

Responsibilities include building mission-critical software, full-stack web apps, and supporting live operations. Requires 5+ years in software, Python, TypeScript, and strong Linux/dockers/kubernetes skills. The role is based in Auckland.