Full-Time

Ground Software Engineer II

Posted on 2/21/2024

Rocket Lab USA

Rocket Lab USA

1,001-5,000 employees

Provides launch services and spacecraft solutions

Compensation Overview

$100k - $130k/yr

No H1B Sponsorship

Long Beach, CA, USA

Candidates must be U.S. citizens, lawful U.S. permanent residents, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens, lawful U.S. permanent residents, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens, lawful U.S. permanent residents, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

US Citizenship Required

Category
đź’»Software Engineering (2)
,
Required Skills
Python
Requirements
  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering or other technical discipline
  • 2+ years of relevant work experience developing software
  • 2+ years of relevant work experience developing in Python
  • Experience architecting web-based software applications
Responsibilities
  • Develop and evolve web-based software architecture for spacecraft operations
  • Work closely with flight software developers, operations personnel, and systems engineers to understand requirements and functional needs
  • Deploy and configure the Rocket Lab Ground Data System
  • Establish monitoring and alerting to detect system degradation and outages
  • Identify ground systems issues and provide technical insight for resolution
Desired Qualifications
  • Full-stack software development experience, including: Backend – Python and/or Golang, Frontend – Typescript and/or Javascript (Angular or React), Database – InfluxDB, PostgreSQL, or equivalent
  • Experience with Python web experience (FastAPI or equivalent)
  • Experience with micro-service architectures
  • Experience leading complete system development efforts with a team
  • Ability to write clear, well-tested, and well-documented software
  • Experience supporting satellite, spacecraft, constellation, and/or launch vehicle mission operations
  • Familiarity with database design and implementation
  • Experience using Git or other version control systems
  • Experience with SQL
  • Experience with ticketing systems like Jira, etc.
  • Experience with Kubernetes orchestration
  • Experience with Oauth authentication flows
  • Experience in full-stack and/or web development (NodeJS, Angular, TypeScript, or equivalent)
  • Experience in the aerospace industry
  • Experience in CCSDS recommended standards, including Space Packet Protocol and COP-1

Rocket Lab provides comprehensive space solutions, including launch services, spacecraft components, and satellite management. Their main products are the Electron rocket, which is designed for small satellite launches, and the Photon satellite platform, which supports various missions, including those for NASA. The Electron rocket has gained popularity for its reliability, becoming the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket since its debut in 2018, successfully delivering over 100 satellites into orbit. Rocket Lab differentiates itself from competitors by offering a streamlined approach to accessing space, with multiple launch sites and a focus on affordability and efficiency. The company's goal is to make space more accessible for both private and public sector organizations, facilitating advancements in areas like national security, scientific research, and climate monitoring.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Long Beach, California

Founded

2006

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Partnership with U.S. Air Force opens significant defense technology opportunities.
  • Acquisition of Geost enhances Rocket Lab's position in national security space missions.
  • 3D printing technology reduces costs and increases efficiency in rocket production.

What critics are saying

  • Allegations of securities fraud could damage reputation and investor confidence.
  • Competition from SpaceX's reusable rockets challenges Rocket Lab's market position.
  • Class action lawsuit may result in financial liabilities and management distractions.

What makes Rocket Lab USA unique

  • Rocket Lab's Electron is the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually.
  • Photon platform supports NASA missions to the Moon, Mars, and private Venus missions.
  • Rocket Lab's private launch site in New Zealand offers unique operational flexibility.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Paid Parental Leave

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Flexible Spending Account

Company Equity

Wellness Program

Phone/Internet Stipend

Childcare Support

Gym Membership

Employee Discounts

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Professional Development Budget

Conference Attendance Budget

Flexible Work Hours

Hybrid Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

↑ 0%

1 year growth

↑ 0%

2 year growth

↓ -1%
Tech Steel
Jun 3rd, 2025
USAF Proposes Rocket Delivery Cargo Service to Any Location on Earth Within 90 Minutes!

To advance this effort, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has partnered with Rocket Lab USA to conduct an orbital survivability flight test slated for 2026.

Business Wire
May 28th, 2025
Rocket Lab Enters Payload Market with Agreement to Acquire Geost, Positioning Itself as Disruptive Prime to U.S. National Security

Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or the “Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced the signing of a...

Defense Daily
May 27th, 2025
Rocket Lab to Acquire Payload Provider Geost, Targeting National Security Missions

Rocket Lab to acquire payload provider Geost, targeting national security missions.

Securities.io
May 22nd, 2025
Terraforming Mars: Colonizing The Red Planet To Build A New Earth

The Race to Mars: How Close Are We in 2025?With the progress of reusable rockets pioneered by Elon Musk's SpaceX, a new space race is heating up. We have discussed the near-term outlook in the dedicated article “ To The Moon And Mars—Mapping The New Space Race .”Reusable rockets have reduced the cost of reaching orbit tenfold and might do so again in the upcoming years.As SpaceX's Starship is undergoing tests and will likely soon perform in-orbit refueling, travel to Mars will become a distinct possibility in the upcoming 5-10 years. After enough robotic flights to deliver supplies to the Red Planet, the first manned flight could be considered.Because it is no longer just a mere theory, how such a first manned mission to Mars should go is hotly debated. Most recently famous astrophysicist Lawrence Krauss called Musk’s plans for Mars exploration “ The Mars Vanity Project ” sparking an argument between the two men.“This plan is logistically ludicrous, strategically ill advised, and scientifically and politically divisive and dangerous.” Lawrence KraussAt the heart of the debate on how to go to Mars, or even if it wise to try to do so in the first place, is that the planet is very hostile to Earth-born life: radiations, almost no atmosphere, brutally cold temperatures, this is simply not a place able to sustain large settlements as it is.This is why scientists and science-fiction writers have long dreamed of turning Mars into an Earth-like planet with acceptable temperatures, liquid water, and a breathable atmosphere. Determining if it is possible will likely decide whether any tentative attempt to create a self-sustaining Martian colony is worth the effort.Why Mars Is So Hostile to Human LifeMars is the 4th planet in the solar system, and has a surface area roughly equivalent to all of Earth's continents combined.Currently, Mars is more hostile to human life than any place on Earth, including the most remote and uninhabited depths of Antarctica. It can overall be described as a dead planet, with not only no clear sign of life but also no significant geological activity.This lack of activity in the planet's core is the first major problem for living on Mars

The Washington Post
May 6th, 2025
3D printing shakes up the space industry

When Rocket Lab unveiled the Rutherford engine at the 31st Space Symposium in Colorado, it looked like any other space engine.

INACTIVE