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Salary: USD 130,000 - 170,000 / annual
Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior Software Engineer II specializing in Simulation Engineering to join the Space Systems team in Littleton, Colorado. This role focuses on architecting large-scale simulation environments and driving high-level data analysis to solve complex aerospace challenges.
You will architect and deploy large-scale, distributed simulation environments for complex aerospace systems, including multi-vehicle and constellation-level modeling. You'll develop robust data pipelines to process, analyze, and visualize massive datasets generated by high-fidelity simulations. A key responsibility is deriving actionable engineering and mission-level insights through advanced statistical analysis and data modeling of simulation outputs.
You will optimize simulation infrastructure for high-performance computing (HPC) and distributed cluster environments to ensure scalability. Working closely with cross-functional teams and domain experts, you'll define campaign-level requirements and translate mission objectives into scalable simulation architectures. You'll also lead the integration of complex simulation ecosystems, ensuring synchronization across multiple subsystems and analytical tools.
Rocket Lab's Space Systems team has enabled more than 1,700 missions, ranging from interplanetary exploration and in-space manufacturing to national security and defense initiatives. The team has built spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions to the Moon and Mars, working with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force.
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.
**REQUIREMENTS:**
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or a related field
- 8+ years of industry experience focusing on large-scale simulation engineering, data analysis, or distributed computational modeling
- Proficiency in languages used for heavy data analysis and simulation infrastructure (e.g., Python, C++, or similar)
- Demonstrated experience architecting and analyzing large-scale Monte Carlo campaigns
- Experience processing and analyzing large datasets using modern data analytics libraries or frameworks
- Experience modeling complex, multi-component physical systems (e.g., spacecraft constellations, multi-vehicle architectures, or robotics)
- U.S. citizenship required due to program requirements and ITAR regulations
**NICE TO HAVE:**
- Active Secret clearance, Top Secret clearance, or ability to obtain and maintain one
- Strong familiarity with high-performance computing (HPC), parallel processing, and distributed compute clusters (e.g., Docker Swarm, Kubernetes)
- Experience in multi-vehicle or synchronized distributed simulation environments
- Advanced understanding of statistical analysis, data visualization techniques, and optimization algorithms
- Experience with machine learning or AI-driven methodologies applied to large dataset analysis or simulation generation
- Familiarity with cloud-based simulation platforms or large-scale data lakes
- Proven ability to tackle complex architectural challenges and deliver innovative data solutions
