Senior Solar Design Engineer

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

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Equity in the company

Paid parental leave

Job summary

K2 Space in Los Angeles is seeking an engineer specializing in the design and manufacturing of high-power solar arrays for space applications. The role demands extensive experience, innovative thinking, and the ability to work collaboratively across multiple engineering disciplines. With a strong focus on quality and performance, you will lead projects from concept through testing and production. The position offers competitive compensation of $140,000 to $175,000 annually, along with a comprehensive benefits package including equity options and paid time off.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in solar array design, manufacture, and testing.
• Experience with solar array system development for space applications.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver solar array subsystems.
• Develop electrical performance degradation models.
• Define assembly-level test procedures.
• Collaborate on system requirements and testing.
• Drive in-house fabrication and assembly processes.

Skills

Design and manufacture of solar arrays

Collaboration across disciplines

Knowledge of electrical performance degradation

Education

Bachelor's degree in physics, materials science, or engineering

Job description

Role

Critical to achieving K2's vision of deploying at scale across MEO, GEO, cis‑lunar, and deep space are the solar arrays. Scaling to constellations requires engineers who can span technical domains from module technology and electrical power system interactions to soft goods, deployment mechanisms, structures, integration, and high‑rate production.

You will drive the design, manufacturing, testing, and deployment of high‑power solar arrays at production scale. The development timelines, operating environments, mission lifetimes, and cost targets we are pursuing demand meaningful innovation — you will tackle these challenges with the full resources and support of K2.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver solar array electrical and mechanical subsystems, contributing to system architecture and lifecycle performance margin analysis
• Develop and maintain electrical performance degradation models across environment variations including radiation, thermal cycling, and UV exposure
• Define and execute assembly‑level acceptance and qualification test procedures
• Collaborate with avionics, structures/mechanisms, software, and production teams on solar system requirements, integrated qualification/acceptance testing, and on‑orbit data review
• Support design reviews, own subsystem deliverables, and maintain accurate development schedules out to 9+ months
• Drive manufacturing processes for in‑house fabrication and assembly, including evaluation of manufacturing equipment, development of work instructions, in‑process checkouts, and end‑of‑line testing
• Work with the production team to develop factory layouts and processes that enable high‑rate solar array builds

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, materials science, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field
• 5+ years of experience in the design, manufacture, and test of solar arrays for space applications

Nice to Have

• Experience with solar array system development for space applications, including requirements definition, design, development testing, manufacturing, and qualification
• Background working across multiple solar array architectures with variations in cell, module, and system technologies for high‑power, long‑life applications
• Familiarity with AIAA S111/S112, SMC‑S‑016, NASA‑STD‑5017, and NASA‑STD‑4005 for the design and qualification of solar modules, moving mechanism assemblies, and spacecraft charging effects
• Experience designing solar arrays for resilience to radiation environments
• Understanding of structural analysis and failure modes for complex mechanical systems in space environments
• Understanding of high‑voltage solar array degradation analysis and failure modes
• Independent and self‑motivated mindset with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills across disciplines

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

Export Compliance

As defined in the ITAR, U.S. Persons include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and certain protected individuals. 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.