Senior Solar Equipment Engineer

K2 Space Corporation; Los Angeles (CA); Vor Ort; USD 150.000 - 220.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Equity in the company

Paid time off

Comprehensive benefits package

Zusammenfassung

K2 Space is seeking a Solar Equipment Engineer to own automated solar array manufacturing equipment across MEO to deep space programs. You will coordinate installation, qualification, and sustaining of mechanical and electrical systems of solar manufacturing tools.

Collaborate with process and facilities teams to maximize uptime and reliability. The role emphasizes designing experiments, implementing maintenance strategies, and leading root-cause actions, with a focus on equipment performance

Qualifikationen

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, materials science, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years experience in photovoltaics, power systems, semiconductor equipment, or automation.

Aufgaben

• Collaborate with facilities and process engineers to install, qualify, maintain, and improve solar array manufacturing equipment.
• Own equipment reliability and uptime; design and analyze experiments to improve process variance and tool performance.
• Develop preventive and predictive maintenance strategies, spare parts programs, and tool matching protocols.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions within equipment.
• Work with vendors and internal automation teams on equipment design improvements and upgrades.
• Establish equipment performance metrics (OEE, MTBF, MTTR) and implement SPC for hardware stability.
• Report factory health to process engineers and leadership with clear documentation.

Kenntnisse

Photovoltaics

Power systems

Semiconductor equipment

Automation

Reliability engineering

Ausbildung

Bachelor’s degree in physics, materials science, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field

Tools

PLC systems

Soldering

Testing & measurement

CAD (NX/CATIA/SolidWorks)

Jobbeschreibung

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.

The Role

Critical to achieving K2’s vision of deploying at scale across MEO, GEO, cis-lunar, and deep space are the solar arrays. As a Solar Equipment Engineer, you will own automated equipment critical to the ability to manufacture and test massive solar arrays at rate. You’ll work closely with process and manufacturing engineers ensuring consistent equipment performance, reliability, and uptime. Within this role you will be responsible for coordinating and executing the installation, qualification, and sustaining the mechanical and electrical systems of our solar manufacturing equipment.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the facilities and process engineers to install, qualify, maintain, and continually improve solar array manufacturing equipment
• Own equipment reliability and uptime; design, execute, and analyze experiments to improve within tool process variance, tool to tool performance variance, and defect performance
• Develop and execute robust preventive and predictive maintenance strategies, spare parts programs, and tool matching protocols
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions within your equipment
• Work with vendors and our internal automation team on equipment design improvements, upgrades, and custom solutions
• Establish equipment performance metrics (OEE, MTBF, MTTR) and implement statistical process control for hardware stability
• Support reporting out on factory health to process engineers and company leadership through clear documentation of equipment performance and impact on downstream process

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, materials science, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field
• 5+ years experience in at least one of: photovoltaics, power systems, semiconductor equipment, or automation

Nice to Have

• Internship or research experience with solar arrays or power systems for space applications
• Exposure to solar cell or module characterization techniques (IV curves, electroluminescence, flash testing)
• Experience with automated equipment or subsystems such as robotics, motion control, vision systems, conveyors, or pneumatics
• Familiarity with PLCs, sensors, or instrumentation, or with troubleshooting electromechanical systems
• Exposure to manufacturing processes such as soldering, bonding, layup, or electromechanical assembly
• Coursework or project experience in reliability engineering, failure analysis, or root cause methods (e.g., 5 Whys, fishbone, 8D)
• Familiarity with statistical analysis or SPC, using Python, MATLAB, JMP, or Minitab
• Experience working in cleanroom or controlled manufacturing environments, or safely handling adhesives, solvents, or other hazardous materials
• Familiarity with space environment effects on materials, including radiation, thermal cycling, and atomic oxygen
• Experience with CAD software (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks) and practical GD&T application
• Independent and self-motivated mindset with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills

Compensation And Benefits

• Base salary range for this role is $150,000 - $220,000 + 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 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.