Senior Spacecraft Operations Lead

Rocket Lab Corporation; Long Beach (CA); In loco; USD 180.000 - 320.000; Tempo pieno

Vantaggi offerti da questo lavoro

Subsidized EV charging

Onsite fitness centers

Discounted gym memberships

Complimentary snacks and beverages

50% merch store discount

Employee discounts

Descrizione del lavoro

Rocket Lab Corporation is seeking a Principal Spacecraft Operations Engineer to manage mission operations for a growing satellite fleet, spanning commissioning, orbit raising, routine operations, and potential re-entry phases. You will collaborate with design, AIT, flight software, propulsion, GNC, and ground software teams to optimize performance and reliability.

The role requires extensive software development experience (Python/C/C++) and a US citizenship, with opportunities to influence

Competenze

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or other technical discipline).
• 12+ years of direct experience in 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 roles such as Mission Lead, Mission Director, Flight Director, or Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer.
• Experience in on-console or operator-in-the-loop mission operations.
• Thorough understanding of key spacecraft subsystems including ADCS, EPS, S-band, C&DH, TCS, propulsion, and FDIR.
• Understanding of space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics.
• 5+ years of direct software development experience (Python, Ruby, C, C++, or similar).
• US citizenship is required.

Mansioni

• Serve as the program's mission operations technical lead: set strategy, plan work, and act as primary operations contact for design decisions.
• Advocate operability across the program; influence architecture to ensure safe, efficient, autonomous operations.
• Own mission operations requirements and lead validation and verification for missions and system capabilities.
• Define automation strategy and develop software-driven methods for operations, testing, and data analysis.
• Design, develop, and test flight software sequences and fault management configurations.
• Architect, develop, and test ground software for long-duration operations with scripting and automation.
• Establish and maintain mission operations tooling, CI, version control, and release discipline; manage on-call schedules.
• Create and own interface specifications, CONOPS, contingency procedures, and other operation documents.
• Lead validation of flight products against simulation tools including flatsat, HITL, SIL, digital twins.
• Support AIT across spacecraft integrated tests (TVAC, propulsion, DITL).
• Provide program support to team leads and act as a technical interface between NZ and USA teams.
• Represent mission operations in milestones and reviews; drive continuous improvement via post-mission lessons.

Conoscenze

Space mission design

Satellite subsystems

Ground systems

Spacecraft operations

Python

C++

ADCS

US citizenship

Formazione

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Strumenti

Jira

CI/CD

Descrizione del lavoro

Rocket Lab Corporation is seeking a Principal Spacecraft Operations Engineer to manage mission operations for a growing satellite fleet, spanning commissioning, orbit raising, routine operations, and potential re-entry phases. You will collaborate with design, AIT, flight software, propulsion, GNC, and ground software teams to optimize performance and reliability.

The role requires extensive software development experience (Python/C/C++) and a US citizenship, with opportunities to influence