Software Engineer I/II - Spacecraft Operations

Senior Software Engineer – Spacecraft Ground Operations As a Senior Software Engineer – Spacecraft Operations at Rocket Lab, you will develop critical ground software for spacecraft ranging from LEO to interplanetary missions. Responsibilities Develop mission-critical operations software for spacecraft command and data handling, automation, and visualization across LEO, re-entry, interplanetary, and proximity operations missions. Build full-stack web applications, including database schema design, back-end services, front-end interfaces, and machine-to-machine communications for spacecraft operations. Support live spacecraft operations by providing on-call technical expertise during critical mission phases and participating in ground-based test campaigns. Architect scalable software solutions by designing and evolving versatile ground software systems that adapt to diverse and complex mission requirements. Lead technical initiatives, including facilitating scrum activities, conducting code reviews, approving software architectures, and mentoring junior engineers on best practices. Qualifications Degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline, plus at least two years of professional experience. Full-stack development expertise with proficiency in Python for async backend development and TypeScript with modern frameworks (Angular, React, or Vue) for front-end applications. Database and infrastructure knowledge, including RDBMS design and SQL, containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes), cloud provider experience, and Linux proficiency for development and production environments. Strong focus on testing and quality, with experience in unit, integration, and end-to-end testing methodologies and comprehensive test coverage implementation. Collaborative leadership skills with experience in Agile scrum methodologies, leading technical meetings, and fostering cross‑functional collaboration. Nice to Have Distributed systems experience with third-party integrations, metrics collection, message brokers, and time-series databases such as InfluxDB. DevOps proficiency, understanding of CI/CD pipelines, and experience creating clean REST APIs for system integration. Network programming skills, including TCP, WebSockets, and real-time communication protocols. Aerospace industry background with experience in satellite operations, interface specifications, CONOPS definition, and mission design documentation. Advanced system design experience in building highly available, fault-tolerant systems for critical space mission operations. Equal Employment Opportunity Statement Rocket Lab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment 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 at Rocket Lab, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. #J-18808-Ljbffr