Principal Program Scheduler

K2 Space Corporation; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Life insurance

Paid parental leave

Job summary

K2 Space Corporation is seeking a Principal Program Scheduler to architect and maintain end-to-end development timelines for satellite programs, spanning concept studies to on-orbit operations. You will coordinate across engineering, operations, and production to deliver detailed plans and data-driven milestones that keep multiple programs on schedule.

You will lead complex what-if analyses, build schedule tools, and monitor data sources, with a focus on government and commercial work, ensuring

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, finance, operations management, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience with project planning and integrated master scheduling.
• Experience integrating schedules within the same tool, and from third parties and various data sources.
• Experience interfacing with External and Internal Leadership.
• Experience performing critical path and what-if analysis.
• Experience with schedule health metrics and work breakdown structures.
• Experience with summary schedule reporting tools such as Microsoft Timeline or equivalent.
• Highly proficient with Smartsheet, MS Project, Primavera, and/or other similar-to schedule applications or processes.

Responsibilities

• Create, own, and drive master schedules for new satellite programs from inception through launch and on-orbit operations
• Develop, communicate, and deliver clear, data-driven critical path schedules and progress updates to internal teams and customers
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, and production teams to assure alignment to ground truth milestones
• Rapidly assess new and ongoing projects, identify required dependencies from internal and external stakeholders
• Gain deep operational insight into K2’s engineering, manufacturing, and launch workflows to drive accurate schedules and process improvements
• Lead fast-paced, high impact reviews as needed to keep plans current and actionable
• Perform complex what-if analysis and recommend paths forward to Leadership
• Build schedule tools and reports to enable time-relevant decision-making
• Proactively monitor engineering data sources to enable more accurate schedules

Skills

Project planning

Integrated master scheduling

Critical path analysis

What-if analysis

Schedule health metrics

Work breakdown structures

Summary schedule reporting

Smartsheet

MS Project

Primavera

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, finance, operations management, or a related field

Tools

Smartsheet

MS Project

Primavera

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

Can you bring order to chaos and keep programs on track when the stakes are sky-high?

We’re looking for a Principal Program Scheduler to architect and maintain end-to-end development timelines across diverse projects – from initial concept studies to on-orbit testing. You will operate across engineering, operations, and production teams to create detailed program plans and scalable solutions to drive execution for multiple programs. This role uniquely spans both government and commercial efforts, requiring a dynamic approach to planning across multiple priorities and stakeholders. You’ll collaborate with technical leads and program managers to track milestones, flag risks, and keep delivery aligned with aggressive schedules. This role demands both strategic insight and hands‑on execution, coordinating non‑recurring engineering, spacecraft builds, ground infrastructure, software development, and launch operations. If you’re energized by solving complex scheduling puzzles and want to help shape the future of National Security and commercial space, this is your mission.

Responsibilities

• Create, own, and drive master schedules for new satellite programs from inception through launch and on-orbit operations
• Develop, communicate, and deliver clear, data-driven critical path schedules and progress updates to internal teams and customers
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, and production teams to assure alignment to ground truth milestones
• Rapidly assess new and ongoing projects, identify required dependencies from internal and external stakeholders
• Gain deep operational insight into K2’s engineering, manufacturing, and launch workflows to drive accurate schedules and process improvements
• Lead fast-paced, high impact reviews as needed to keep plans current and actionable
• Perform complex what-if analysis and recommend paths forward to Leadership
• Build schedule tools and reports to enable time-relevant decision-making
• Proactively monitor engineering data sources to enable more accurate schedules

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, finance, operations management, or a related field
• 8+ years of experience with project planning and integrated master scheduling
• Experience integrating schedules within the same tool, and from third parties and various data sources
• Experience interfacing with External and Internal Leadership
• Experience performing critical path and what-if analysis
• Experience with schedule health metrics and work breakdown structures
• Experience with summary schedule reporting tools such as Microsoft Timeline or equivalent
• Highly proficient with Smartsheet, MS Project, Primavera, and/or other similar-to schedule applications or processes

Nice to have

• Experience working in a fast-paced environment with cross-functional engineering and operations teams, familiarity with the engineering development life cycle
• Experience with first-of engineering projects and scaled production efforts
• Ability to support concurrent projects, executing with clear guidance and operating in ambiguity, connecting pieces of the puzzle and raising issues before they arise
• Experience with engineering development projects
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with extreme attention to detail
• Ability to set the appropriate cadence for updates, and pivot when necessary

Additional Requirements

• Active Top Secret or Top Secret SCI clearance preferred; willing to pursue and maintain a clearance if not already cleared
• Ability to work irregular business hours to support proposals or critical project timelines

Compensation And Benefits

• Base salary range for this role is $160,000- $200,000 + equity in the company
• Salary will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: knowledge and skills, education, and experience level
• Comprehensive benefits package including unlimited paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many other perks

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.

Equal Opportunity

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.