Senior Space Systems Engineer — TS/SCI Clearance

Rocket Lab; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Industry-leading stock purchase

Top-tier medical plans

Dental and vision coverage

Paid vacation and sick time

401(k) retirement plan with company 64

Onsite fitness centers

Employee discounts

Job summary

Rocket Lab's Space Systems team develops complete spacecraft, payloads, and subsystems such as solar panels, flight software, star trackers, and radios to enable ambitious space missions.

The Principal Engineer will oversee satellite programs from Rocket Lab’s Long Beach headquarters, supporting leadership, board, and investors, with a strong emphasis on system engineering across missions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or other technical discipline.
• Active TS/SCI clearance is required.
• U.S. citizenship is required due to program requirements.
• 12+ years of experience supporting satellite or spacecraft programs.
• Understanding of spacecraft subsystems and components.
• Thorough understanding of space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics.
• Experience with satellite operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide oversight and review of spacecraft system engineering, including requirement derivation.
• System and subsystem requirement verification techniques.
• Vehicle performance budgets.
• Test methods and data analysis.
• Simulation and analysis.
• Technical leadership in future architectures, platform, and payloads for future missions.
• Assist or lead system and subsystem architectural developments for existing missions.
• Assist with program and product management.

Skills

TS/SCI clearance

U.S. citizenship

Satellite/spacecraft experience

Orbital mechanics

Space environment knowledge

Satellite operations

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/technical

Master's/PhD (nice to have)

Tools

MATLAB

Python

STK

Job description

Rocket Lab's Space Systems team develops complete spacecraft, payloads, and subsystems such as solar panels, flight software, star trackers, and radios to enable ambitious space missions.

The Principal Engineer will oversee satellite programs from Rocket Lab’s Long Beach headquarters, supporting leadership, board, and investors, with a strong emphasis on system engineering across missions.