Principal Mission Payload Engineer

K2 Space; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in the company

Comprehensive benefits including PTO

Job summary

K2 Space is seeking a Principal Mission Payload Engineer for National Security Programs in Los Angeles. You will act as the primary technical interface between K2 Space, customers, and partners, supporting the full program lifecycle from early proposals to on-orbit operations.

The role requires strong multi-disciplinary engineering skills, hands-on experience, and excellent communication to collaborate with National Security customers and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline is required.
• 5+ years in aerospace/space with spacecraft, launch vehicles, or payloads.
• 2+ years in technical project management or systems engineering.

Responsibilities

• Manage payload integration across the full satellite lifecycle, from proposals through on-orbit commissioning.
• Lead technical discussions and represent K2 Space in design reviews and customer engagements.
• Define, negotiate, and document payload interfaces (mechanical, electrical, software, power, data).
• Develop and execute payload interface verification and validation plans.
• Coordinate cross-functional integration with vehicle engineering, avionics, software, propulsion, thermal, and AI&T teams.
• Train new team members and develop common workflows to improve operations.

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by over $1 billion in total funding from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, ICONIQ, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures, and T. Rowe Price — and with over $1 billion 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 in 2027 and plans to scale to 100 satellites a year, we're Building Bigger — helping develop the solar system and build toward 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 high-growth Series D-funded company, we'd love for you to apply.

The Role

As aPrincipalMission Payload Engineer within National Security Programs,you’llserve as the primary technical interface between K2 Space, customers, and partners as we integrate advanced payload capabilities onto K2’s satellite bus platform.You’llsupport the entire program lifecycle – from early proposal phases through spacecraft design, development, integration, test, and on-orbit operations.

In this role, you will work closely with Program Managers and key engineering disciplines to define and negotiate payload interfaces (mechanical, data and software, power, mission, etc.) and develop integration and test plans that ensure successful mission execution.You will alsorepresentK2 Space in critical customer engagements, design reviews, and verification milestones.

A Principal Mission PayloadEngineer,you will apply yourself to shaping the way that Mission Payload Engineering does business both internally and externally.

The ideal candidate has strong multi-disciplinary engineering skills, hands-on experience, and excellent communication abilities to effectively collaborate with National Security customers and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage payload integration across the full satellite lifecycle.Support initial proposals, design, development, integration, testing, launch and on-orbit commissioning.
• Serve as the primary customer interface for payload integration.Lead technical discussions, represent K2 Space in design reviews, and ensure customer requirements are understood and met.
• Development,maintain, and negotiate payload interface control documentation. Define mechanical, electrical, software, power, and mission interfaces, ensuring clear technical alignment between payload and bus teams.
• Create and execute payload interface verification and validation plans.Develop testing strategies to ensure compliance with mission and interfacerequirements, andoversee final sell-off with internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate cross-functional integration efforts.Work closely with vehicle engineering, avionics, software, propulsion, thermal, and AI&T teams to ensure seamless payload integration.
• Assistin training new team members.
• Develop common process workflows and tools to make an efficient operation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience working in the aerospace or space industry, working with spacecraft, launch vehicles, airborne systems, or payloads.
• 2+ years of technical project management and/or systems engineering experience.
• Hands-on experience with developing, integrating and testing launch vehicles, spacecraft, or other aerospace systems.
• Strong understanding of mechanical, electrical, software, and power interfaces for satellite payloads.

Nice to Have

• Master’s degree in an engineering discipline.
• Experience working directly with National Security customers.
• 10+years of experience working in the aerospace or space industry, working with spacecraft, launch vehicles, airborne systems, or payloads.
• Hands-on spacecraftor aerospaceintegration and test experience, including environmental testing,verificationand troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and deliver results across multiple parallel priorities.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to work collaboratively in high-performing teams.
• Active Top Secret orTop SecretSCI clearance preferred; willing to pursue andmaintaina clearance if not already cleared.

Compensation and Benefits

• Base salary range for this role is$175,000 - $230,000+ equity in the company
• Salary will be based on several factors including, but not limitedto: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 otherperks

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.

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.”

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here.

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 by22 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.