Senior Quality Engineer II (Software)

Rocket Lab Corporation•Chantilly, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Rocket Lab’s Optical Systems division solves mission-critical space domain and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) challenges for Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) customers. Our vision is to revolutionize the space-based payload market with innovative and novel designs for space, terrestrial, and airborne environments. Building on more than 20 years of electro-optical and infrared systems innovation from Geost, Optical Systems delivers solutions to the warfighter for responsive, scalable sensing solutions across all orbital domains. As a Senior Quality Engineer II (Software) based at our Optical Systems site in Chantilly, VA, you will provide quality, and mission assurance support for mission-critical software used in space payloads, ground systems, and integrated hardware/software products. This role focuses on software quality across the full lifecycle, ensuring requirements are defined, risks are identified, verification is rigorous, and releases are controlled in a regulated, non-recoverable space environment. Join a driven team of pioneers relentlessly tackling challenging projects, delivering on the impossible, and making an impact on the future of space!

Requirements

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Quality, or a related technical discipline
8+ years of experience performing Software Quality Engineering or quality oversight for mission-critical or safety-critical systems

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Quality, or Business Management
Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or equivalent certification
Experience supporting spaceflight software, payload control software, or mission ground systems
Familiarity with Agile, Waterfall, or V-Model development in regulated environments
Experience with software configuration management, vision control, and release governance
Familiarity with ITAR/export compliance requirements
Lean Six Sigma (Green or Black Belt) certification

Responsibilities

Serve as the Quality Engineering representative for software development activities supporting space payloads, ground systems, and hardware-integrated products
Support end-to-end software lifecycle quality across requirements, design, development, integration, verification, release, and sustainment
Review and assess software requirements for clarity, testability, traceability, and alignment with system and customer requirements
Participate in and provide quality input to software design reviews, test readiness reviews, and acceptance reviews
Review and approve software quality artifacts, including design documentation, test plans, test procedures, test results, and release records
Support software verification and validation activities, ensuring adequate coverage, risk mitigation, and objective evidence
Support integration, environmental, and system-level test campaigns, including on-site participation as required to support mission assurance and anomaly resolution
Identify, document, and support resolution of software nonconformances, defects, and escapes, including root cause analysis and corrective actions
Ensure software-related quality, mission assurance, and regulatory requirements are properly flowed down from customer contracts and internal standards into implementation
Support supplier and subcontractor software quality oversight, including review of deliverables, audits, and quality flow-down requirements
Support software configuration management and release control, including baseline integrity, change control, and regression awareness
Develop, maintain, and analyze Power BI dashboards to monitor software quality metrics such as defect trends, escape rates, test status, and corrective action closure
Support and leverage Power Apps and SharePoint-based tools to standardize and automate software quality workflows, reviews, approvals, and data collection
Support internal, external, customer, and regulatory audits related to software quality (e.g., AS9100, customer audits)
Promote a risk-aware, quality-first culture across software and integrated product teams
Travel as required to support test campaigns, supplier oversight, audits, and key program milestones
Tasks as identify critical for the mission