RF Engineering Intern – Summer 2027

Socket.dev; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing stipend

Travel stipend

Job summary

K2 Space seeks a motivated RF Engineering Intern for a 3-month, in-person internship at our Torrance HQ. You will analyze, test, and measure RF/microwave hardware on the satellite platform, working hands-on with antenna test infrastructure and collaborating with engineers to deliver results.

You will gain exposure to environmental tests, integration with spacecraft systems, and mentorship from senior engineers in a fast-paced space tech environment.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s in electrical engineering or related field.
• At least 6 months of hands-on engineering experience outside coursework (labs, projects, internships).

Responsibilities

• Operate antenna measurement assets such as anechoic chambers and near field scanners.
• Qualify RF hardware through environmental testing including vibration, shock, thermal and TVAC testing.
• Assist with design, analysis and validation testing for RF/microwave hardware from UHF 200 MHz through Ka band 31 GHz.
• Perform development and production tests to meet internal and external customer needs.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to integrate your design, test and analysis into the spacecraft system.

Skills

RF engineering

Antenna testing

Environmental testing

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Vector Network Analyzers

Spectrum Analyzers

Ansys HFSS

Cadence AWR Microwave Office

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

We’re looking for a stellar RF Engineering Intern to join our team for a 3 month internship. Working closely with our engineers, you will be responsible for analysis, test, and measurement of radiofrequency and microwave electronics to be hosted on some of the largest, most powerful, rapidly designed and rapidly manufactured satellites ever deployed in space. You will work hands-on with RF antenna test and measurement infrastructure used for the satellite, while getting exposure to other subsystems within the engineering organization. K2 Space is a highly collaborative environment, and our interns will be encouraged to work with mentors and other team members to execute complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Operate antenna measurement assets such as anechoic chambers and near field scanners
• Qualify radiofrequency and antenna hardware through environmental testing including vibration, shock, thermal, and thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing
• Assist with design, analysis, and validation testing for radiofrequency and microwave hardware from UHF 200 MHz through Ka band 31 GHz, including phased array antennas, low noise amplifiers, power amplifiers, filters, high speed converters, and other RF electronic components
• Perform development and production tests to meet internal and external customer needs
• Collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders to integrate your design, test, and analysis into the spacecraft system

Qualifications

• Must be currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in electrical engineering or other relevant science, technology, engineering, or mathematics discipline
• 6+ months experience of technical engineering skills outside of the university setting classroom (e.g.: laboratory, research, extracurricular project teams, volunteering, personal projects or prior internship/work experience)

Additional Requirements

• Available for a minimum 12-week internship in person at our HQ in Torrance

Nice to Have

• Ability to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, engineers, and managers
• Experience with RF and measurement tools such as vector network analyzers and spectrum analyzers
• Experience with RF, antenna, and electromagnetic modeling and analysis software tools such as Ansys Electronics Desktop HFSS and/or Cadence AWR Microwave Office
• Understanding of RF theoretical concepts such as impedance matching, S-parameters, and antenna patterns
• Familiarity with environmental testing for space electronics such as thermal, vibration, TVAC, radiation, and EMI/EMC testing per standards such as SMC-S-016

Compensation

• Hourly pay range for this non-exempt role is $30 - $40 per hour
• Hourly rate will be based on several factors including, but not limited to knowledge and skills, education, and experience level
• Housing and travel stipend may also be available

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.

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.