Senior Spacecraft GNC Engineer I Verified today
About Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab is the end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems that keep the world connected, protected, and expand humanity's reach to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The Role
Based in Littleton, CO, you will lead GNC and ADCS development for Rocket Lab's growing fleet of diverse spacecraft. You will work across the full engineering lifecycle: spacecraft concept and algorithm development, flight software implementation, subsystem requirements, detailed GNC design, subsystem integration and test, and vehicle integration and test. You will plan and maintain development schedules, work closely with Systems, Avionics, Flight Software, Mission Operations, and Ground Software teams, and directly interact with customers to ensure mission success.
What You'll Do
- Mentor a team responsible for GNC design, modeling, and analysis for LEO, MEO, GEO, Lunar, Interplanetary, Reentry, and RPOD missions
- Design flight software, algorithms, and simulation products
- Develop spacecraft autonomy tools for constellation management
- Select GNC components and design GNC subsystems
- Develop and execute test processes
- Define fault detection and response
- Conduct hardware-in-the-loop and Monte Carlo simulations
- Integrate flight and simulation software with modern analysis, test, and operations tools
- Support internal and external design reviews
- Plan team schedules, milestones, and technical status reporting with department leads and program managers
- Coordinate with teams in Long Beach, CA and New Zealand
Required Qualifications
- 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
Preferred Qualifications
- MS or PhD
- 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
- 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
- Prior experience working multiple projects simultaneously and determining team priorities
- Experience with GNC-related Business Development or conceptual design work
Compensation
- Base Salary: $114,000 to $172,000 USD
- Total Compensation (base and equity): $168,000 to $199,000 USD
- Company stock as part of total compensation package
- Employee Stock Purchase Program with 15% discount
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Paid vacation and sick time
- 11 paid holidays
- Flexible spending and dependent care accounts
- Paid parental leave
- Disability and life insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan with company match
Working Conditions
This position may require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, and computer work. Occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.