Spacecraft Operations Engineer II: Automate & Optimize Missions

Rocket Lab Corporation; Littleton (CO); On-site; USD 82,000 - 102,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Colorado seeks a Spacecraft Operations Engineer II to manage the health, safety, and performance of a growing satellite fleet across commissioning, orbit raising, routine operations, and re-entry. You will work with cross-functional teams across spacecraft design, software, propulsion and ground systems.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and 2+ years in space mission design, satellite subsystems, or ground systems, with Python/C/C++ software experience and US

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or other technical)
• 2+ years of experience in space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, or spacecraft operations
• Understanding of key spacecraft subsystems and their components including attitude control, power, comms, OBDH, thermal control
• Understanding of space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics
• Software development experience in Python, Ruby, C, or other high-level languages
• U.S. citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Operate spacecraft using automation and software-driven solutions.
• Design, develop and test ground software for operations.
• Design, develop and test flight software sequences and telemetry configuration.
• Maintain CI/testing of operational code.
• Support on-call or shift operations.
• Develop interface specifications and CONOPS.
• Support AIT tests across spacecraft tests (TVAC, propulsion stack, DITL).
• Perform requirements validation and verification for subsystems and spacecraft missions.
• Generate and maintain requirements for spacecraft missions including the creation and disposition.
• Provide program and product support across multiple sites (Auckland, NZ, Littleton, CO, and Long Beach, CA).

Skills

Python

C/C++

Space mission design

Satellite subsystems

Software development

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master's or PhD in engineering

Tools

Git

CI/CD

Cloud infrastructure

Job description

Rocket Lab in Colorado seeks a Spacecraft Operations Engineer II to manage the health, safety, and performance of a growing satellite fleet across commissioning, orbit raising, routine operations, and re-entry. You will work with cross-functional teams across spacecraft design, software, propulsion and ground systems.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and 2+ years in space mission design, satellite subsystems, or ground systems, with Python/C/C++ software experience and US