Spacecraft Operations Engineer II/Senior

Segment (Twilio); Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 86,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical plans

HSA

Dental & Vision

Paid vacation

Paid holidays

401(k)

Stock purchase program

EV charging stations

Onsite gym

Food & drinks

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Long Beach, CA seeks a Spacecraft Operations Engineer II/Senior to ensure health, safety, and performance of a growing satellite fleet. The role supports LEO to interplanetary missions and requires an engineering degree with TS clearance.

Responsibilities include designing and testing ground and flight software, executing automated operations, and collaborating with New Zealand and U.S. teams. Base compensation reflects California market ranges.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field required.
• Strong programming experience in Python, Ruby, C or C++.
• Familiarity with software development, testing, and CI/CD.
• Active U.S. Government Security Clearance with TS eligibility.

Responsibilities

• Operate spacecraft using automation and software-driven solutions.
• Design, develop, and test ground software for operations.
• Develop flight software sequences and telemetry configurations.
• Maintain continuous integration and testing of operational code.
• Participate in on-call rotations or shift operations as needed.
• Create and validate mission requirements and interface specs.
• Support AIT activities and validation against simulators.

Skills

Python

Ruby

C

C++

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Master’s or PhD in engineering

Job description

Spacecraft Operations Engineer II / Senior – Secret Clearance

Location: Long Beach, CA (Rocket Lab headquarters)

This role ensures the health, safety, and optimal performance of a growing fleet of commercial and government satellites, supporting missions including LEO constellations, interplanetary exploration, LEO rendezvous, and SDA‑related deployments.

Key Responsibilities

• Leverage automation to operate spacecraft, focusing on software‑driven solutions for efficient and reliable mission execution.
• Design, develop, and test ground software for long‑term space operations, including scripting for robust and automated operations.
• Design, develop, and test flight‑software sequences and FDIR/telemetry configurations to support spacecraft health and fault management.
• Maintain continuous integration and testing of operational code.
• Participate in on‑call rotations or shift operations as required.
• Develop test methods, data analysis techniques, and interface specifications, CONOPS, and other design documents.
• Run validation against spacecraft simulation tools (flatsat, HITL, etc.).
• Support AIT teams across multiple integrated‑test activities (TVAC, propulsion stack, DITL).
• Perform requirements validation and verification for subsystems and spacecraft missions.
• Generate and maintain mission requirements, including creation and disposition.
• Provide program and product support to team leads and program managers and act as key technical interface between NewZealand and U.S. engineering teams.

Qualifications – Engineer II

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or related discipline).
• 2+ years of direct experience in space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, spacecraft command & control, or operations.
• Understanding of key spacecraft subsystems: attitude determination and control, electrical power, space–ground communications, on‑orbit command and data handling, and thermal control.
• Experience with orbital mechanics and rigid‑body dynamics.
• Software development experience in Python, Ruby, C, C++, or other high‑level languages.
• Active U.S. Government Security Clearance with TS eligibility.

Qualifications – Senior Engineer I

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or related discipline).
• 5+ years of direct experience in space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, spacecraft command & control, or operations.
• Same technical knowledge as outlined for Engineer II.
• Software development experience in Python, Ruby, C, C++, or other high‑level languages.
• Active U.S. Government Security Clearance with TS eligibility.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in an engineering discipline.
• Prior experience in spacecraft operations or satellite system design.
• Exposure to modern development practices (GIT, CI/CD, cloud infrastructure).
• Experience with Software‑in‑the‑Loop (SIL) or Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HIL) testing.
• Active TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary ($86,000—$125,000 USD for California).
• Company equity.
• Medical HMO and PPO plans plus 100% company‑sponsored HSA option.
• Dental and vision coverage.
• Paid vacation (3 weeks) and sick leave (5 days per year).
• Paid holidays (11 per year).
• Flexible spending and dependent‑care savings accounts.
• Paid parental leave.
• Disability and life insurance.
• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Employee stock purchase program, subsidized EV charging stations, onsite gym, food and drinks, and other discounts.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Rocket Lab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, and training. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for the application/interview process for a job in the United States should contact the provided resource for assistance.