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Rocket Lab is seeking a Spacecraft Operations Engineer II to ensure the health, safety, and optimal performance of a growing fleet of satellites for commercial and government customers. Based at Rocket Lab's Long Beach headquarters, you will support diverse missions including LEO constellations, interplanetary exploration, LEO rendezvous, and Space Development Agency deployments.
Key responsibilities include designing and developing ground software for long-term space operations with a focus on automation and software-driven solutions. You will design, develop, and test flight software sequences and FDIR/telemetry configurations to ensure spacecraft health and fault management. The role involves maintaining continuous integration and testing of operational code, developing test methods and data analysis, and creating interface specifications and CONOPS documentation.
You will run validation against spacecraft simulation tools (flatsat, HITL), support AIT teams across multiple spacecraft integrated tests (TVAC, propulsion stack, DITL), and perform requirements validation and verification for subsystems and spacecraft missions. Additional duties include generating and maintaining requirements for spacecraft missions, providing program and product support to team leads and program managers, and serving as a key technical interface between the Auckland, NZ and Long Beach engineering teams. On-call or shift operations support is required.
Required qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or related discipline) and 2+ years of direct experience in space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, spacecraft command control, or spacecraft operations. You must have understanding of key spacecraft subsystems (ADCS, electrical power, space-ground communications, command and data handling, thermal control), space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics. Software development experience in Python, Ruby, C, C++, or similar languages is essential, along with the ability to obtain and maintain US security clearance.
Nice-to-have qualifications include a Master's or PhD in engineering, prior spacecraft operations experience, satellite system design background, satellite ground systems experience, and exposure to modern development practices (GIT, CI/CD, cloud infrastructure).
