Supplier Development Engineer, Avionics

K2 Space; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical/dental/vision coverage

Life insurance

Paid parental leave

Equity in the company

Job summary

K2 Space is seeking a Supplier Development Engineer, Avionics to define and implement supplier development strategies. This pivotal role involves assessing supplier capabilities, managing the Production Part Approval Process, and improving supplier quality standards. You will collaborate closely with engineering and procurement teams to support strategic company missions.

Ideal candidates have a Bachelor's degree in engineering and at least 3 years of experience in quality or supply chain roles. Join K2 Space and contribute to innovative aerospace projects with a dynamic team.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in a quality, reliability, supply chain, or engineering role.
• Strong understanding of quality standards (ISO 9001, AS9100, PPAP).
• Ability to travel up 25-50% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Assess supplier capabilities and technologies.
• Manage Production Part Approval Process (PPAP).
• Evaluate supplier quality performance and drive improvements.

Skills

Quality standards and tools

Vendor management

Strong communication skills

Data analytics

Education

Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline

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 including Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, T. Rowe Price, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Alpine Space Ventures, and others – with an additional $500M 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 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.

Role

As the Supplier Development Engineer, Avionics within the Supply Chain organization at K2 Space, you will be responsible for defining and implementing supplier development strategies for the company. In this role, you work closely with engineering, manufacturing, and procurement teams to grow and mature suppliers into strategic partners in support of company critical missions. You will own the continuous evaluation of suppliers, working with them to develop their processes and improving their ability to support the company’s needs. This role will have high visibility and impact across the organization. Success in this role requires the use of strong communication skills and commodity management experience to systematically grow and mature K2 Space’s supply chain.

Responsibilities

• Assess supplier capabilities, technologies, and their ability to successfully execute manufacturing requirements.
• Manage Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), rate, and reliability campaigns to enable production.
• Lead containment, issue ticket resolution, and supplier corrective action efforts.
• Evaluate supplier quality performance and drive improvements, using scorecards and audits, to ensure compliance to quality standards.
• Provide program leadership necessary inputs to ensure that product quality, delivery, and cost achieve business and customer expectations.
• Interface with responsible engineering, production teams, and procurement to define production roadmaps aligned with company goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
• 3+ years in a quality, reliability, supply chain, or engineering role
• Strong understanding of quality standards and tools (ISO 9001, AS9100, PPAP)
• Experience managing vendors, suppliers, and strategic technical partners
• Ability to travel up 25-50% of the time

Nice to Have

• Expert level knowledge in avionics commodities such as harnessing and PCBs/PCBAs
• Knowledge of Lean concepts
• Experience in a new product introduction environment
• Experience in root cause and corrective action activities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience with data analytics and SQL

Compensation and Benefits

• Base salary range for this role is $110,000 - $145,000 + 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 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 (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.

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 identity, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation,