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Rocket Lab Corporation

Principal Software Engineer - TS/SCI

Rocket Lab Corporation · Long Beach, CA

Posted about 2 months ago

or apply directly on Rocket Lab Corporation's site. We never take the application ourselves.

Is this posting real?

This role has been open
66 days
Rocket Lab Corporation's roles stay open a median of 64 days
Reposted
No
Salary listed
No
0% of Rocket Lab Corporation's roles list one
Ghost-job risk at Rocket Lab Corporation
high
310 stale, 12 reposted of 455 open
Hiring momentum
683 roles opened in the last 90 days
↑ up vs. the prior 90 days
Last confirmed on the employer's board
2026-10-08

Measured from postings appearing on and disappearing from Rocket Lab Corporation's own greenhouse board since 2026-08-03. Full hiring picture for Rocket Lab Corporation.

About this role

As a Principal Software Engineer at Rocket Lab, you will lead the design and development of software systems for space-based applications, focusing on both flight and ground software. Your role will involve collaborating with various teams to ensure mission success, developing scalable software architectures, and supporting on-orbit operations. You will also mentor engineering teams and contribute to the integration of hardware and software systems.

Our read on this posting3.2out of 5
benefits
5/5
freshness
1/5
career value
5/5
role clarity
5/5
pay transparency
0/5

Scored from the posting itself — how clearly the role is described, how much it says about pay and benefits, and how recently it was listed. Not a judgement of Rocket Lab Corporation as an employer.

What you need

  • 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

Nice to have

  • Advanced degree in aerospace engineering, computer science, or a related field
  • Strong systems-level thinking with the ability to balance technical trade-offs across performance, security, and maintainability
  • Experience developing software and drivers with CAN/CAN-FD, SpaceWire, and/or UDP/TCP protocols
  • Experience leading teams and working with program management to plan out work and staffing
  • Expertise in microservice architectures, distributed systems, and modern web frameworks such as FastAPI

What you get

  • Competitive base pay
  • Company stock as part of total compensation package
  • Employee Stock Purchase Program (with a 15% discount on company stock)
  • Top-tier medical plans (HMO, PPO, and a zero cost HDHP option with a significant HSA company contribution)
  • Dental and vision coverage
  • Paid vacation and sick time

Worth weighing

  • Active TS/SCI clearance is a strict requirement, which may limit candidate pool
  • Role requires significant experience (12+ years) which may be a barrier for some applicants
  • The position involves working in a fast-paced environment, which may not suit everyone
  • No specific mention of remote work options or flexibility in work hours

Summarised from Rocket Lab Corporation's posting. Read the full original.

Listed by Rocket Lab Corporation on their greenhouse job board, last confirmed open on 2026-10-08. PitchMeAI is not the employer.

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