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Salary: USD 114,000 - 172,000 / annual
Rocket Lab is seeking a Senior Spacecraft GNC (Guidance, Navigation, and Control) Engineer I to lead GNC and ADCS (Attitude Determination and Control System) development for its growing fleet of diverse spacecraft. Based in Littleton, CO, this role is central to the Space Systems team, which has enabled over 1,700 missions including interplanetary exploration, in-space manufacturing, and national security initiatives.
You will demonstrate expertise in spacecraft GNC concepts and applications, working across the full engineering lifecycle: spacecraft concept and algorithm development, flight software implementation, subsystem requirements development, detailed GNC design, subsystem integration and test (I&T), and vehicle I&T. You will mentor a team responsible for GNC design, modeling, and analysis across diverse mission types including LEO, MEO, GEO, Lunar, Interplanetary, Reentry, and RPOD (Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking).
Key responsibilities include designing flight software and algorithms, developing spacecraft autonomy tools for constellation management, selecting GNC components and designing subsystems, developing and executing test processes, defining fault detection and response strategies, conducting hardware-in-the-loop and Monte Carlo simulations, and integrating flight and simulation software with modern analysis and operations tools. You will support internal and external design reviews, coordinate with department leads and program managers on scheduling and milestones, and work closely with related teams including Systems, Avionics, Flight Software, Mission Operations, and Ground Software. You will also directly interface with customers to ensure mission success and coordinate with teams in Long Beach, CA and New Zealand.
QUALIFICATIONS (Required):
- B.S. degree and 5+ years of industry experience in GNC/ADCS
- Ability to maintain and obtain a security clearance
- Prior experience directly interfacing with aerospace customers in commercial or government sectors
- U.S. citizenship required due to program requirements and ITAR regulations
QUALIFICATIONS (Preferred):
- M.S. or Ph.D.
- Active TS/SCI clearance
- 2+ years of RPOD design and operations experience
- Experience with Jira planning and workflow
- Prior experience mentoring a team of younger engineers
- Hands-on experience with IMU, reaction wheels, star trackers, gyroscopes, and other GNC hardware
- Experience developing blended attitude solutions from multiple sensor data sources
- Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and verifying flight software
- Demonstrated experience with spacecraft on-orbit operations and anomaly resolution
- Prior experience leading a team across a project lifecycle
- Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously and prioritizing team work
- Experience with GNC-related business development or conceptual design work
