SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 81,000 - 102,000 / annual
Rocket Lab is seeking a GNC Engineer I to join the Mission Formulation Team within Global Launch Services. This role is based at Rocket Lab's headquarters in Long Beach, CA, and focuses on Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) design, modeling, analyses, and testing for Rocket Lab launches and missions, including classified missions on HASTE and Electron launch vehicles.
You will be responsible for conducting trade studies, preliminary and final mission analyses, and definition and implementation of detailed designs for launch programs. Working closely with Business Development, Production, and other Engineering teams, you'll contribute to formulating and implementing new launch and mission concepts.
Key responsibilities include:
- Serving as GNC contact to Business Development for proposals and mission definition
- Developing launch and mission operational concepts
- Conducting orbital and suborbital trajectory design and analysis
- Working with external stakeholders and customers on mission-specific requirements engineering
- Documenting proposed GNC solutions and participating in design reviews with customers
- Supporting hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing to verify trajectories, GNC, and flight code performance
- Conducting Monte Carlo simulation analyses to define and verify launch and mission operations
- Developing and supporting release of flight code for pre-launch ground testing, launch, and mission operations
- Developing tools and processes for automating common GNC modeling and analysis tasks
Success in this position is measured by your knowledge and experience in launch vehicle design and mission experience, your ability to contribute to projects independently, successful collaboration across Rocket Lab teams, and skillful prioritization of competing engineering projects.
QUALIFICATIONS (Required):
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering
- Understanding of orbital mechanics and/or closed-loop control systems, preferably launch vehicles
- Experience with trajectory optimization
- Proven experience developing real-time control and/or estimation algorithms in autonomous vehicles, preferably launch vehicles
- Active Secret security clearance OR ability to obtain and maintain one
QUALIFICATIONS (Nice to Have):
- Active TS/SCI clearance
- Experience with requirements assessments and interface control document generation
- Experience with git version control
- 1+ years' experience in modeling, simulation and/or control of dynamics systems, particularly rigid bodies
- 1+ years' experience with Python development
- 1+ years' experience with data analysis using MATLAB and/or SciPy
- Experience developing in C/C++
- Experience with POST, ASTOS, TAOS or similar mission analysis, trajectory optimization, vehicle design and simulation tools
- Strong communication skills and ability to build strong working relationships
- Creative, analytical, and good at problem solving
- Ability to work on own initiative and plan daily workflow to meet higher level tasks
Note: This position may require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, computer work, and occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas. ITAR compliance required: candidates must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or Commerce.
