Senior Mechanisms Engineer, Optical Los Angeles, CA

K2 Space Corporation; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in the company

Comprehensive benefits package

Paid time off

Job summary

K2 Space Corporation in Los Angeles is looking for a Senior Mechanisms Engineer to design and test high-speed optical mechanisms for space applications. The ideal candidate will lead the design, manufacturing, and testing processes, contributing significantly to groundbreaking space technology.

Applicants should have a degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering and over 5 years of relevant experience. A comprehensive benefits package is offered along with a salary range of $140,000—$175,000.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in optics, laser technology, or electromechanical mechanisms.
• Minimum 2 years of experience with programming languages like Python or C++.
• Deep experience with CAD and FEA software packages.

Responsibilities

• Deliver mechanism design from concept through flight qualification.
• Explore architecture down-selection and design tolerancing.
• Prepare environmental test and qualification plans.

Skills

Optical mechanisms

Mechanical structures design

CAD and FEA software

Programming languages

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or relevant engineering discipline

Tools

NX

MATLAB

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 $450M from leading investors and an additional $500M in signed contracts, we are mass‑producing the highest‑power satellite platforms 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’s platform extends beyond satellite buses. Operating our own vehicles and manifesting regular rides to space positions us uniquely to design, test, and deploy ambitious remote sensing payloads in MEO, GEO, cis‑lunar, and deep space on unprecedented timelines. The satellite bus is the platform – the payloads are the mission.

As Senior Mechanisms Engineer, you will be responsible for defining how K2 designs, manufactures, tests, integrates, and deploys precision, high‑speed optical mechanisms and associated mechanical structures for use in K2’s portfolio of optical payloads. The development timelines and manufacturing scale we target will require meaningful innovation, but you will have the resources and full support of K2 to make this possible and help raise the bar for the next generation of space technology companies.

In fact, the clock is already ticking. Your first hardware goes to space in 18 months.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for delivering the mechanism design from concept through flight qualification.
• Architectural down‑selection, design, and tolerancing.
• Mechanism‑specific analyses (structural, controls, thermal, etc.).
• Environmental test and qualification plans.
• Supply chain and high‑volume manufacturing plans.
• Ground‑ and in‑flight performance validation plans.

Support a range of mechanisms for space‑borne optical payloads.

• Collaborate with the optical and satellite bus teams to determine the optimal operations and set of requirements for your mechanisms.
• Prepare design reviews for your mechanisms to get stakeholder buy‑in and communicate expectations to the other hardware, software, test, and manufacturing teams.
• Own and refine program deliverables and associated schedules throughout development and production.
• Evaluate and select manufacturing equipment for specialty processes.
• Partner with production to develop work instructions, in‑process checkouts, and end‑of‑line tests that ensure successful builds.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of hands‑on laboratory or work experience in optics, laser technology, controller development, electromechanical mechanisms, or electrical/mechanical design or testing.
• Deep experience with CAD and FEA software packages (e.g., NX, Simcenter, FEMAP, and/or Hypermesh).
• Minimum 2 years of experience with computer programming languages (e.g., Python, Rust, C++, and/or MATLAB).

Nice to Have

• Experience designing and manufacturing flexure‑guided mechanisms that provide deterministic constraint, low‑friction motion, high repeatability, and controlled stiffness across translational and rotational degrees of freedom.
• Experience designing voice‑coil or piezo‑driven mechanisms and methods for elegantly integrating positional feedback.
• Experience with electronic enclosure packaging of printed circuit boards for space applications.
• Direct experience developing fine‑pointing and line‑of‑sight stabilization solutions for payloads such as optical communication, EO/IR sensors, antennas, or telescopes.
• Perform detailed mechanical analysis (FEA, tolerance stack‑up, kinematic modeling, vibration/shock analysis) to ensure performance under extreme environments (thermal vacuum, high‑g during launch, vibration, and jitter).
• Experience collaborating with electrical, controls, and optical engineers to close multi‑disciplinary performance loops (pointing accuracy, jitter, settling time, bandwidth).
• Create and maintain detailed CAD models, drawings, and BOMs (NX preferred).
• Experience leading prototyping, assembly, integration and test activities, including environmental qualification testing.
• Detailed knowledge and experience implementing control loops for mechanism angle utilizing both feed‑forward and closed‑loop sensors (PID, adaptive, model‑predictive MPC).
• Deep knowledge of high‑resolution encoders, resolvers, gyros/IMUs/SIRU for space applications.
• Experience with NASA‑STD‑5017, SMC‑S‑016, and GSFC‑STD‑7000 for the design and qualification of in‑space moving mechanism assemblies.

Compensation and Benefits

• Base salary range for this role is $140,000—$175,000 + equity in the company.
• Salary and level will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: 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. The person hired for this role will have access to information and items controlled by U.S. export control regulations, and 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 Employment 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.