Ground Integration Lead, Top Secret Clearance

K2 Space; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in the company

Comprehensive benefits package

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

K2 Space is building the largest and highest‑power satellites, and this role leads the ground integration team that ties together in‑house and third‑party systems. You’ll define the long‑term ground systems roadmap, scale a growing engineering organization, and ensure secure operations across classified and unclassified domains.

The role requires deep experience in software engineering and leadership, delivering enterprise‑grade solutions in fast‑paced environments; aerospace experience is a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or 3+ years in software engineering.
• 8+ years of software development experience.
• 3+ years of leadership at department level.
• Experience with deployment and integration of sophisticated hardware and software systems.
• Proven success building and scaling high‑impact engineering teams.
• Strong track record of delivering enterprise‑scale solutions in fast‑paced environments.
• Deep experience with classified systems and their security requirements.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute long‑term vision for end‑to‑end ground systems integration.
• Direct and lead investment in new in‑house ground infrastructure while managing relationships with third‑party partners.
• Integrate with customer teams to architect new ground systems for multi-level classification while delivering secure operations.
• Build and support a team of ground integration engineers responsible for connecting new and legacy systems.
• Ensure teams deliver robust, scalable and secure systems at startup speed.
• Represent K2 Space in recruiting, industry events, customer interactions and partnerships.

Skills

Leadership

Software development

Enterprise-scale solutions

Classified security

Team building

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/Math or 3+ years experience

Tools

Python

C#.NET

Go

Java

Docker/Kubernetes

Job description

Ground Integration Lead, Top Secret Clearance

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by $450M from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, T. Rowe Price, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Alpine Space Ventures, and others – 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.

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.

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. If you are a motivated individual who thrives in a fast‑paced environment and you’re excited about contributing to the success of a groundbreaking Series C space startup, we’d love for you to apply.

The Role

K2 Space operates constellations spanning commercial, science, and national security missions using a mix of in‑house and legacy ground systems. In this role, you will be a key part of the team in charge of integrating all of these systems into a cohesive, reliable ground network. The ground systems you and your team build will be capable of bridging the gap between heterogeneous constellations in space and the RF and Optical ground segment that controls them. You will be key in a multi‑pronged strategy to invest in K2 ground infrastructure while also engaging with partners to integrate with legacy and third‑party ground systems.

You’ll lead a growing organization of engineers, set the technical roadmap, and ensure we’re delivering ground infrastructure that moves as fast as our hardware. You and your team will collaborate closely with the Ground Software Applications and Flight Software teams to drive new integrations that unlock new mission capabilities for our customers in the classified and unclassified domains.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the long‑term vision for K2 Space’s end‑to‑end ground systems integration.
• Direct and technically lead investment in new in‑house ground infrastructure while managing and building relationships with third‑party mission partners.
• Integrate with customer teams to architect new ground systems capable of operating at multiple levels of classification while delivering secure and reliable constellation operations.
• Build and support a team of capable and experienced ground integration engineers responsible for building the connective tissue between new and legacy ground systems.
• Ensure teams deliver robust, scalable, and secure systems at startup speed.
• Represent K2 Space in recruiting, industry events, customer interactions, and strategic partnerships.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, mathematics, or a STEM discipline, or 3+ years of professional experience in software engineering.
• 8+ years of experience in software development.
• 3+ years of leadership experience at the department or organizational level.
• Experience with the deployment and integration of sophisticated hardware and software systems.
• Proven success building and scaling high‑impact engineering teams.
• Strong track record of delivering enterprise‑scale solutions in fast‑paced environments.
• Deep experience with classified systems and their security requirements.

Nice to Have

• Experience in aerospace, manufacturing, or mission‑critical systems.
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Python, C#.NET, Go, Java, or similar.
• Familiarity with modern languages (Python, Go, Java, C#, etc.), cloud systems, CI/CD, and container orchestration (Docker/Kubernetes).
• A track record of fostering team culture, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Understanding of existing systems architectures that support ground and orbital systems contributing to government and commercial space systems.

Compensation and Benefits

• Base salary range for this role is $200,000 – $250,000 plus equity in the company.
• Salary will be based on several factors including knowledge and skills, education, and experience level.
• Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many other perks.

If you don’t meet 100% of the preferred skills and experience, we encourage you to still apply! Building a spacecraft unlike any other requires a team unlike any other and non‑traditional career twists and turns are encouraged.

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

Export Compliance

As defined in the ITAR, “U.S. Persons” include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (i.e., Green Card holders), and certain protected individuals (e.g., refugees/asylees, American Samoans). Please consult with a knowledgeable advisor if you are unsure whether you are a “U.S. Person.”

The person hired for this role will have access to information and items controlled by U.S. export control regulations, including the export control regulations outlined in the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR). The person hired for this role must therefore either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.

K2 Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with K2 Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.