Senior Spacecraft GNC Engineer I

Rocket Lab Corporation•Littleton, CO

10h•$114,000 - $172,000•Onsite

About The Position

Based at Rocket Lab’s Littleton, Colorado site, the Senior Spacecraft GNC Engineer I leads guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) and attitude determination and control system (ADCS) development for a growing fleet of spacecraft. The role applies spacecraft GNC concepts across the engineering lifecycle, including spacecraft concept and algorithm development, flight software implementation, subsystem requirements, detailed GNC design, subsystem and vehicle integration and test, and development schedule planning. The engineer works with Systems, Avionics, Flight Software, Mission Operations, and Ground Software teams and interacts directly with customers to support mission success. The position mentors a team working on GNC design, modeling, and analysis for spacecraft and missions spanning LEO, MEO, GEO, lunar, interplanetary, reentry, and rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking (RPOD). It contributes to spacecraft autonomy tools, subsystem design, testing, fault response, simulation, and integration of flight and simulation software with analysis, test, and operations tools. The role also supports design reviews and coordinates schedules, milestones, and technical status across teams, including colleagues in Long Beach, California, and New Zealand. The work may involve prolonged sitting, standing, walking, and computer work, with occasional exposure to moderate noise, dust, and fumes in production areas. The compensation package includes base pay and company equity; the posting lists total compensation of $168,000–$199,000 USD and base salary of $114,000–$172,000 USD. Actual level and base salary are determined case by case based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years of industry experience in GNC/ADCS.
Ability to maintain and obtain a security clearance.
Prior experience directly interfacing with aerospace customers in the commercial or government sectors.
U.S. citizenship is required due to program requirements.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or Ph.D.
Active TS/SCI clearance.
At least 2 years of RPOD design and operations experience.
Experience with Jira planning and workflow.
Experience mentoring a team of younger engineers.
Hands-on experience with IMUs, reaction wheels, star trackers, gyroscopes, and other GNC hardware.
Experience developing blended attitude solutions from a variety of sensor data.
Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and verifying flight software.
Demonstrated experience with spacecraft on-orbit operations and anomaly resolution.
Experience leading a team across a project lifecycle.
Experience working on multiple projects simultaneously and determining team priorities.
Experience with GNC-related business development or conceptual design work.

Responsibilities

Lead GNC and ADCS development for Rocket Lab spacecraft.
Mentor a team responsible for GNC design, modeling, and analysis across a variety of spacecraft and mission types.
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 simulation.
Integrate flight and simulation software with modern analysis, test, and operations tools.
Support internal and external design reviews.
Plan and maintain team schedules and milestones with department leads and program managers, and report technical status.
Coordinate with teams in Long Beach, California, and New Zealand.
Work directly with customers to support mission success.