Senior Satellite Mechanical Engineer, Optical Structures
at K2 Space · 101-250 employees
Just raised · Series D · $500M
- Seniority
- Senior
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
- Posted
- 5d ago
at K2 Space · 101-250 employees
K2 Space is a manufacturer of large, high-power satellites.
<div class="content-intro"><p class="p1">K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciapark/2025/12/11/this-startup-is-building-huge-satellites-for-an-underused-interstellar-sweet-spot/?ctpv=searchpage">$450M</a> from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, T. Rowe Price, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Alpine Space Ventures, and others <span class="s1">– </span>with an additional $500M in signed contracts across commercial and US government customers – we’re mass-producing the highest-power satellite platforms ever built for missions from LEO to deep space.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p1">The rise of heavy-lift launch vehicles is shifting the industry from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance, and we believe this new era demands a fundamentally different class of spacecraft. Engineered to survive the harshest radiation environments and to fully capitalize on today’s and tomorrow’s massive rockets, K2 satellites deliver unmatched capability at constellation scale and across multiple orbits.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p1">With multiple launches planned through 2026 and 2027, we're Building Bigger to develop the solar system and become a Kardashev Type II (K2) civilization. <span class="TextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0" lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0">If you are a motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0">you're</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0"> excited about contributing to the success of a groundbreaking Series C</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0"> space startup, </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0">we’d</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0"> love for you to apply.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW79998266 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p></div><p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">The Role</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">K2's plan doesn't stop at satellite buses. By operating our own vehicles and manifesting regular rides to space, K2 is uniquely positioned to design, test, and deploy-at-scale ambitious optical payloads in MEO, GEO, cis-lunar, and deep space on unprecedented timelines. The satellite bus is the platform - the payloads are the mission. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">In this role, you will have cradle-to-grave ownership over the mechanical elements of space environment payloads including optical payloads, with a focus on broader mechanical skills – including but not limited to structural design for stress and modal performance; design for optimal manufacturing; design of lens and optical component mounting solutions that can perform in launch and space environments; thermal analysis and mitigation; and cradle-to-grave ownership from clean-sheet trades, design, analysis, testing, and integration support. You'll partner closely with optical engineers, but your center of gravity is mechanical design, structural performance, and hardware realization. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">In your first 6 months, you will define mechanical and optomechanical requirements, create initial concepts and trades, perform preliminary and detailed analysis, define development test campaigns, and produce development hardware. In your first year, you will validate your designs through prototype iterations and build and qualify flight hardware. In your first two years you will fly your hardware in space while directly supporting production and integration. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Responsibilities</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Take satellite mechanical and optical hardware from conceptual design through analysis, prototyping, flight manufacturing, and qualification to on-orbit operations in order to support internal and external customer needs.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Own structural, electronics thermal heatsinking, and lens mounting design and implementation for subsystems at the intersection of mechanical, optical, and electrical. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Perform hardware trades that steer both sub-system and top-level product direction</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Lead subsystem design reviews from kickoff through qualification and beyond</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Drive hardware development, including hands-on assembly and alignment, development testing (vibration, thermal-vac, modal), analysis correlation, and follow-on hardware iterations </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Collaborate with a cross-functional team – structures, optical, thermal, electrical</span><span data-contrast="auto">, GNC, metrology, and manufacturing -</span><span data-contrast="auto"> to establish product requirements, company processes, and best practices for hardware design and manufacturing