Senior HITL Engineer I

Rocket Lab Corporation; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab, a leading space company, seeks a Senior HITL Engineer I based in Long Beach, CA. You will design, operate, and maintain HITL systems for spacecraft buses, working closely with test hardware and cross-disciplinary teams.

You will analyze test data, support Day of Launch simulations, and contribute to precise documentation and test plans. This role emphasizes hands-on hardware work, rapid problem-solving, and delivering reliable HITL solutions.

Qualifications

• Experience designing, maintaining, and operating HITL systems for spacecraft buses.
• Hands-on work with test and flight hardware in a space environment.
• Ability to analyze test data to determine pass/fail criteria and root causes.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, operate, and maintain HITL systems for Rocket Lab spacecraft buses.
• Work hands-on with test and flight hardware.
• Collaborate in cross-disciplinary teams to verify spacecraft bus functionality and performance.
• Operate Day of Launch simulations for specific missions.
• Document systems with diagrams, schematics, ICDs, and procedures.
• Analyze raw test data to assess pass/fail criteria.
• Troubleshoot anomalies and communicate findings to internal teams, vendors, and customers.
• Provide critical review for test plans.

Skills

Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) systems

Test and flight hardware

Data analysis

Cross-disciplinary teamwork

Tools

System diagrams

Schematic capture

Procedures writing

Job description

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.

SENIOR HITL ENGINEER I

Based out of Rocket Lab's headquarters in Long Beach, CA, the Senior HITL Engineer I is responsible for designing, maintaining, and operating hardware in the loop (HITL) systems. You will support the HITL Manager, Shared Services and Space Systems organization, with deliverables requested by internal leadership, board of directors, and investors.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO:

• Design, build, operate, and maintain the HITL systems for the Rocket Lab spacecraft buses
• Work hands-on with test and flight hardware
• Work in a cross-disciplinary team to verify the functionality and performance of the Rocket Lab spacecraft buses
• Operate launch vehicle simulation platform for Day of Launch operations for specific missions
• Make and maintain accurate technical documentation via system diagrams, schematics, ICDs, procedures, test/anomaly reports
• Analyze test results from raw data for pass/fail criteria
• Troubleshoot root cause from anomalies and communicate the results and path forward with internal team, vendors, and customers
• Provide critical review for test plans