Connor Heckman
About Connor Heckman
Connor Heckman is a Senior Flight Software Engineer currently working at Rocket Lab, where he has contributed to spacecraft software development since 2023. He has a background in software engineering with extensive experience at Lockheed Martin, where he held various roles and developed software for advanced missile systems and satellite programs.
Current Role at Rocket Lab
Connor Heckman currently serves as a Senior Flight Software Engineer at Rocket Lab, a position he has held since 2023. In this role, he is responsible for developing and testing flight software for spacecraft. His contributions include writing and executing software test procedures to demonstrate new capabilities to customers. He also designs and develops control software for various spacecraft sensors and actuators, ensuring the functionality and reliability of the systems.
Previous Experience at Lockheed Martin
Prior to his current role, Connor Heckman worked at Lockheed Martin in various capacities from 2015 to 2022. He began as a College Student Tech Spec and progressed to Associate Software Engineer, Senior Software Engineer, and finally Software Engineering Summer Intern. During his tenure, he designed, developed, and tested control software for the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) program and developed simulation framework software for the Advanced Rapid Integration Simulation Environment (ARISE) effort. He also served as Scrum Master for multiple teams, overseeing software development for projects including Globalstar’s Low Earth Orbit satellites.
Internship Experience
Connor Heckman gained early experience in the tech industry through internships. He worked as a Web Development Intern at BGF Consulting from 2014 to 2015, where he contributed to web development projects. Additionally, he completed a Software Engineering Summer Internship at Lockheed Martin in 2016, where he further developed his software engineering skills in a professional setting.
Education and Academic Background
Connor Heckman earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Central Florida, completing his studies from 2012 to 2017. His academic background provided him with a solid foundation in computer engineering principles, which he has applied throughout his professional career in various software engineering roles.