Job brief: Principal Flight Software Engineer

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 2026-11-04 (3 days ago); last confirmed on the board 2026-11-06.
• 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: $150,000 to $220,000 a year
• Job type: Not stated
• Where: Littleton, CO · ASI Office
• Posted: 2026-11-04

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

Level: Lead / staff. The title says "Principal".

Must have

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, or other technical engineering discipline)
• 12+ years of demonstrated applicable experience in embedded software development
• Active Security clearance OR ability to obtain and maintain one
• U.S citizenship is required, due to program requirements
• Master’s or PhD in engineering (software, computer, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, or other technical engineering discipline)
• Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Rocket Lab Employees must be a U.S.

Conditions

• paid vacation , holidays , and sick leave ;

Main duties

• Develop application software to run within a Real Time Operating System (RTOS) and/or embedded Linux
• Develop hardware drivers to interface to Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), Star Trackers, Reaction Wheels and other spacecraft sensors and actuators
• Develop and maintain comprehensive unit tests to run within a Continuous Integration framework
• Collaborate with hardware-in-the-loop test engineers to verify and validate combined software and hardware functionality
• Collaborate with systems engineers and embedded systems engineers in developing, documenting and validating requirements

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 Colorado: $206k a year (11 listings, 6 employers). This listing is 10% lower.
• Across Rocket Lab's 456 open listings, 24% 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.

Ask before you apply

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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• 14 more software engineer jobs within 25 miles, on the job map with pay.
• All 456 open Rocket Lab jobs, and how Rocket Lab hires.
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