Principal Software Engineer​/Senior Principal Software Engineer - TS​/SCI

About Rocket Lab

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, climate‑change mitigation, national security, and new technology demonstrations.

Rocket Lab’s Space Systems team is responsible for every satellite and satellite component made by Rocket Lab, from complete satellites destined for missions to the Moon and Mars, to the individual components and subsystems that make up a satellite such as solar panels, flight software, reaction wheels, star trackers, separation systems, radios, and more. Our Space Systems team consists of engineers, technicians, and designers who design, create, and assemble satellites for commercial, government, and defense sectors, or build compatible hardware and software for other missions.

Based out of our headquarters in Long Beach, CA, we are seeking a highly experienced Principal Software Engineer to serve as the Chief Software Engineer for a major constellation program. In this pivotal role you will lead the design, development, and delivery of scalable, reliable, and mission‑critical software systems for space‑based applications.

• 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 such as VxWorks or embedded Linux, including hardware drivers for 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 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.

• 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.
• U.S. citizenship is required, due to program requirements.
• Active TS/SCI clearance is required.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline.
• 15+ years of professional software development experience, including embedded 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…