Ensure the on-call or shift schedules of operationsAuthor and own interface specifications, CONOPS, contingency procedures, and other operational design documentsLead validation of flight products and procedures against spacecraft simulation tools, including flatsat, HITL, SIL, and digital twinsSupport AIT teams across multiple spacecraft integrated tests (TVAC, propulsion stack, DITLProvide program and product support to team leads and program managers, and serve as a key technical interface between the NZ and USA engineering teamsRepresent mission operations in program milestone reviews, design reviews, and readiness gates, and drive continuous improvement through post-mission lessons learnedYou'll Bring These Qualifications As A Senior Spacecraft Operations Engineer II:Bachelor's degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or other technical engineering discipline)8+ years of direct experience in any of the following: space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, spacecraft command control, or spacecraft operations3+ years of experience leading teams of engineers through spacecraft missions or related aerospace projectsPrevious experience in roles such as Mission Lead, Mission Director, Flight Director, or Senior Spacecraft Operations EngineerPrevious experience supporting mission operations activities in an on-console or operator-in-the-loop capacityThorough understanding of key spacecraft subsystems and associated components, including attitude determination and control systems (ADCS), electrical power systems (EPS), space-to-ground communications, command and data handling (C&DH), thermal control systems (TCS), spacecraft propulsion systems, and fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR)Understanding of the space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics5+ years of direct software development experience (Python/Ruby/C/C++/other high-level languages), covering items such as spacecraft onboard flight scripts, ground scripting and automation, and data manipulation and analysisActive U.S. Government Secret Security ClearanceYou'll Bring These Qualifications As A Principal Spacecraft Operations Engineer:Bachelor's degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or other technical engineering discipline)12+ years of direct experience in any of the following: space mission design, satellite subsystems, ground systems, spacecraft command control, or spacecraft operations3+ years of experience leading teams of engineers through spacecraft missions or related aerospace projectsPrevious experience in roles such as Mission Lead, Mission Director, Flight Director, or Senior Spacecraft Operations EngineerPrevious experience supporting mission operations activities in an on-console or operator-in-the-loop capacityThorough understanding of key spacecraft subsystems and associated components, including attitude determination and control systems (ADCS), electrical power systems (EPS), space-to-ground communications, command and data handling (C&DH), thermal control systems (TCS), spacecraft propulsion systems, and fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR)Understanding of the space environment, orbital mechanics, and rigid body dynamics5+ years of direct software development experience (Python/Ruby/C/C++/other high-level languages), covering items such as spacecraft onboard flight scripts, ground scripting and automation, and data manipulation and analysisActive U.S. Government Secret Security ClearanceThese Qualifications Would Be Nice To Have:Master's or PhD engineering in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or other technical engineering discipline)Prior experience in spacecraft operationsPrior experience in satellite system designPrior experience in satellite ground systemsExposure to modern development practices – GIT, CI/CD, cloud infrastructureProficiency with Agile issue-tracking tools, specifically Jira, for mission task management, status tracking, and bug reportingSoftware-in-the-Loop (SIL) Testing: Exposure to testing frameworks that simulate software behavior in operational environments. The space operations experience at Rocket Lab is unique because you will cover a multitude of roles/positions and responsibilities, with the large majority of the technical products being supplied through the vertical integration/in-house.(Please note: This position can be hired at the Senior Engineer II or Principal level)What You'll Get To Do:Serve as the program's mission operations technical lead: set the technical direction and strategy for operations, plan and prioritize the work of the mission operations staff, and act as the primary operations point of contact for program-level design decisions and tradesAdvocate for operability across the program: influence spacecraft and ground architecture upstream so vehicles are designed to be operated safely, efficiently, and autonomously, and push for changes to program design and execution when operational needs demand itOwn mission operations requirements and lead requirements validation and verification for spacecraft missions and system-level capability and functionDefine the automation strategy and lead the development of robust, software-driven methods for mission operations, testing, and data analysis to ensure efficient, repeatable, and reliable spacecraft operationDesign, develop, and test flight software sequences and FDIR/telemetry configurations to ensure spacecraft health and fault management through software-driven processesArchitect, develop, and test ground software for long-duration operations, including scripting and automation frameworks that make operations robust, hands-off, and scalable across a growing fleetEstablish and steward the integration, testing, and maintenance of mission operations tooling and codebases, including CI, version control, and release discipline.