Job brief: Ground Software Engineer II

What JoRoute checked · Checked by JoRoute

• Listed on Rocket Lab's own job board. JoRoute does not take listings from job ads or recruiters.
• First seen by JoRoute 2026-11-12 (today); last confirmed on the board 2026-11-12.
• The apply link opens job-boards.greenhouse.io, the address Rocket Lab's board gives for this job.
• No other listing with this title and place on this board in the last 90 days.
• No layoff notices (WARN) under this name in the state files JoRoute reads.

What the listing says · Employer's own words, not checked

• Pay: $108,000 to $148,000 a year
• Job type: Not stated
• Where: Long Beach, CA · RL Headquarters
• Posted: 2026-11-11

What the job asks · Employer's own words, not checked

Level: Mid level. The posting asks for 2+ years of experience.

Must have

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or other technical discipline
• 2+ years of relevant work experience in professional software development
• U.S. citizenship is required, due to program requirements
• Active Secret clearance OR ability to obtain and maintain one
• Active TS clearance
• Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Rocket Lab Employees must be a U.S.

Main duties

• Own major parts of architecture and evolve Rocket Lab’s web-based ground software platforms for spacecraft operations.
• Partner with flight software developers, mission operations personnel, and systems engineers to translate mission needs into scalable ground system designs.
• Deploy, configure, and optimize the Rocket Lab Ground Data System for diverse mission profiles.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership on ground software strategy, risk areas, and emerging technologies.

Lines copied from the posting, not rewritten. "Preferred" or "nice to have" items are not listed as must-haves.

How it compares · Compared by JoRoute from listings

• Typical listed pay for software engineer jobs in California: $212k a year (790 listings, 39 employers). This listing is 39% lower.
• Across Rocket Lab's 463 open listings, 28% of those with a posting date were first posted more than 60 days ago. How Rocket Lab hires

What nobody outside the employer knows · Not known

• Whether the role is already filled or on hold: employers often leave listings up.
• How many people applied, and who reads the applications.
• Where in the published range an offer would land.

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1. Which of the listed places is this role based in?
2. What are the interview steps, and when should I expect to hear back?

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