60 Space Perspective Flight Director Jobs Hiring Near You

Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer II / Principal – Secret Clearance

Location: Long Beach, CASecurity Clearance: Active U.S. Government Secret Clearance

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the program’s mission operations technical lead, setting the technical direction, planning staff work, and acting as the primary operations point of contact for program-level design decisions.
• Advocate for operability across the program, influencing spacecraft and ground architecture upstream to ensure safe, efficient, and autonomous operation.
• Own mission operations requirements and lead requirements validation and verification for spacecraft missions and system-level capabilities.
• Define the automation strategy and lead development of robust, software-driven methods for mission operations, testing, and data analysis.
• Design, develop, and test flight software sequences and FDIR/telemetry configurations to ensure spacecraft health and fault management.
• Architect, develop, and test ground software for long-duration operations, including scripting and automation frameworks for scalable operations.
• Establish and steward the integration, testing, and maintenance of mission operations tooling and codebases, including CI, version control, and release discipline.
• Ensure on-call or shift schedules of operations personnel are maintained.
• Author and own interface specifications, CONOPS, contingency procedures, and other operational design documents.
• Lead validation of flight products and procedures against spacecraft simulation tools (flatsat, HITL, SIL, digital twins).
• Support AIT teams across multiple spacecraft integrated tests (TVAC, propulsion stack, DITL).
• Provide program and product support to team leads and program managers, and serve as a key technical interface between the NZ and USA engineering teams.
• Represent mission operations in program milestone reviews, design reviews, and readiness gates, driving continuous improvement through post-mission lessons learned.

Qualifications – Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer II

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or related discipline).
• 8+ years of direct experience in space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, spacecraft command and control, or operations.
• 3+ years of experience leading teams of engineers through spacecraft missions or related aerospace projects.
• Previous experience as Mission Lead, Mission Director, Flight Director, or Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer.
• Experience in on-console or operator-in-the-loop mission operations activities.
• Thorough understanding of key spacecraft subsystems: ADCS, EPS, space‑to‑ground communications, C&DH, TCS, propulsion systems, and FDIR.
• Understanding of space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics.
• 5+ years of direct software development experience (Python, Ruby, C, C++, or other high‑level languages).
• Active U.S. Government Secret Security Clearance.

Qualifications – Principal Spacecraft Operations Engineer

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or related discipline).
• 12+ years of direct experience in space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, spacecraft command and control, or operations.
• 3+ years of experience leading teams of engineers through spacecraft missions or related aerospace projects.
• Previous experience as Mission Lead, Mission Director, Flight Director, or Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer.
• Experience in on-console or operator-in-the-loop mission operations activities.
• Thorough understanding of key spacecraft subsystems: ADCS, EPS, space‑to‑ground communications, C&DH, TCS, propulsion systems, and FDIR.
• Understanding of space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics.
• 5+ years of direct software development experience (Python, Ruby, C, C++, or other high‑level languages).
• Active U.S. Government Secret Security Clearance.

Nice to Have

• Master’s or PhD in engineering.
• Experience in spacecraft operations, satellite system design, or satellite ground systems.
• Exposure to modern development practices (Git, CI/CD, cloud infrastructure).
• Proficiency with Agile issue-tracking tools (e.g., Jira).
• Experience with SIL and HIL testing frameworks.
• Active TS/SCI Security Clearance.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary ranging from $173,000 to $231,000 USD (California only).
• Company equity and a robust benefits package: top-tier medical HMO, PPO, 100% company-sponsored HSA plan, dental and vision coverage.
• Paid time off: 3 weeks paid vacation, 5 days sick leave, 11 paid holidays.
• Flexible spending and dependent care savings accounts.
• Paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Additional perks: employee stock purchase program, subsidized EV charging stations, onsite gym, food and drinks, and other discounts.

Equal Employment Opportunity

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.

Location‑Specific Requirements

U.S. Offices: Candidates must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or applicants who can obtain necessary authorizations under ITAR regulations.

New Zealand Offices: Candidates must be eligible under ITAR regulations and hold citizenship of an approved country.