Principal Software Engineer /Senior Principal - TS/SCI

About The Role

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering responsive launch services, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, payloads, satellite components, and more – all with the goal of opening access to space. The rockets and satellites we build and launch enable some of the most ambitious and vital space missions globally, supporting scientific exploration, Earth observation, and missions to combat climate change, national security, and exciting new technology demonstrations.

Principal Software Engineer/ Senior Principal - TS/SCI

• Lead Software Architecture Design: Define and evolve the end-to-end software architecture for flight and ground systems, ensuring scalability, reliability, security, and mission success.

• Develop Flight Software: Design application software for spacecraft operating within Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) such as VxWorks, or embedded Linux, including hardware drivers for spacecraft sensors and actuators such as IMUs, Star Trackers, and Reaction Wheels.

• Build Ground Software Systems: Architect and deploy web-based ground software platforms for spacecraft operations, integrating flight and ground systems to support diverse mission profiles.

• Test and Validate Systems: Develop unit tests within a Continuous Integration (CI) framework and collaborate with hardware-in-the-loop test engineers to verify combined software and hardware functionality.

• Collaborate and Lead: Provide technical direction and mentorship to engineering teams, act as a trusted advisor to leadership, and partner with stakeholders to align software systems with mission requirements.

• Support On-Orbit Operations: Ensure software performance in harsh environments and contribute to mission-critical operations.

Qualifications

• As Principal Software Engineer:

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline.
  • 12+ years of professional software development experience, including embedded systems and ground software.
  • Proven expertise in architecting scalable and reliable software systems for aerospace or defense applications.
  • Proficiency in C and C++ for embedded software development and python for testing.
  • Experience with both DIO and AIO (Digital and Analog Inputs and Outputs).
  • Experience with integrating hardware, including implementing ICDs, and debugging.
  • Experience with deriving the Flight Software architecture from the electrical design including reading a master ICD list and/or schematics.
  • Experience with RF ground to space communication.

• As Senior Principal Software Engineer:

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline.
  • 15+ years of professional software development experience, including embedded systems and ground software.
  • Proven expertise in architecting scalable and reliable software systems for aerospace or defense applications.
  • Proficiency in C and C++ for embedded software development and python for testing.
  • Experience with both DIO and AIO (Digital and Analog Inputs and Outputs).
  • Experience with integrating hardware, including implementing ICDs, and debugging.
  • Experience with deriving the Flight Software architecture from the electrical design including reading a master ICD list and/or schematics.
  • Experience with RF ground to space communication.

What To Expect

We’re on a mission to unlock the potential of space to improve life on Earth, but that’s not an easy task. It takes hard work, determination, relentless innovation, teamwork, grit, and an unwavering commitment to achieving what others often deem impossible. Our people out-think, out-work, and out-pace. We pride ourselves on having each other’s backs, checking our egos at the door, and rolling up our sleeves on all tasks big and small. We thrive under pressure, work to tight deadlines, and our focus is always on how we can deliver, rather than dwelling on the challenges that stand in the way.