Senior Spacecraft Ops Engineer — Mission-Centric Automation

Rocket Lab USA; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 194,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Medical, dental, vision plans

Paid time off + holidays (vacation & S

401(k) with company match

Subsidized EV charging

Job summary

Rocket Lab USA is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer I to ensure the health, safety, and performance of a growing satellite fleet from our Long Beach, CA headquarters. You will work across commissioning, orbit raising, routine operations, and potential re-entry phases, coordinating with design, AIT, and flight software teams.

The role emphasizes software-driven mission execution, CI/CD, and collaboration with global teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or other technical engineering discipline).
• 5+ years of direct experience in space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, spacecraft command control or spacecraft operations.
• Understanding of key spacecraft subsystems including attitude control, electrical power, communications, data handling, and thermal control.
• Understanding of the space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics.
• Software development experience (Python/Ruby/C/C++/other high-level languages).
• US citizenship is required due to program requirements.
• Ability to obtain and maintain US Security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Operate spacecraft using automation and software-driven processes to ensure mission success.
• Design, develop and test ground software for long-term space operations.
• Develop flight software sequences and telemetry configuration for health and fault management.
• Maintain continuous integration and testing of operational code.
• Support on-call or shift-based operations.
• Develop test methods and data analysis.
• Create interface specs, CONOPS, and design documents.
• Run validation against spacecraft simulation tools and AIT tests.
• Collaborate with Auckland, NZ and Long Beach, USA teams as technical interface.

Skills

Spacecraft operations

Software development

Orbital mechanics

US citizenship

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

Git CI/CD

Python

Job description

Rocket Lab USA is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer I to ensure the health, safety, and performance of a growing satellite fleet from our Long Beach, CA headquarters. You will work across commissioning, orbit raising, routine operations, and potential re-entry phases, coordinating with design, AIT, and flight software teams.

The role emphasizes software-driven mission execution, CI/CD, and collaboration with global teams.