Optical Manufacturing Engineer

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

K2's plan doesn't stop at the satellite bus. By operating our own vehicles and manifesting regular rides to space, K2 is positioned to design, test, and deploy ambitious optical payloads at scale — built around large aperture (100–300 mm), diffraction-limited, space-qualified telescopes collecting and transmitting optical energy from the UV to the infrared, for missions in MEO, GEO, cis-lunar space, and beyond. The bus is the platform; the payloads are the mission.

As an Optical Manufacturing Engineer, you will be the bridge between optical design and the production floor. Partnering with the Principal Optomechanical Engineer and the optical payloads team early in the design process, you will ensure manufacturability, build the first prototypes, design the build flow, fixturing, and alignment tooling, and finalize the process for transition to production. You will work hand-in-hand with the optical technicians who build and test the hardware, turning design intent into clear work instructions, in-process checkouts, and end-of-line tests. In your first 6 months you will develop cleaning, bonding, mounting, and alignment methods and tooling for optical subassemblies, define manufacturing flows for optical payload hardware, and provide Design-for-Excellence (DFX) guidance on optics, optomechanical mounts, and integrated electro-optical assemblies. In your first year you will implement these processes on flight hardware and scale them to high-rate production.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Principal Optomechanical Engineer and optical design team to provide DFX guidance across optics, optomechanical mounts, bonded assemblies, and integrated electro-optical hardware for initial design, flight hardware, and tooling
• Develop manufacturing and assembly processes for space-qualified optical subsystems and large aperture telescopes, including precision inspection and cleaning, adhesive bonding and UV/thermal cure, mounting and torque, and alignment of freespace optics and fiber optic assemblies
• Design alignment fixtures, bonding and handling tooling, and ground support equipment (GSE) that protect sensitive optics while achieving required tolerances and repeatability
• Support the evaluation and selection of optical fabrication, assembly, and metrology equipment, and help develop the factory and cleanroom layout for in-house optics production
• Develop in-process inspections, optical metrology, and end-of-line test methods (e.g., interferometry, autocollimation, wavefront and alignment verification), ensuring accuracy and data traceability across all builds
• Create and maintain work instructions, travelers, and procedures in the Manufacturing Execution System (MES); lead root cause analysis and corrective action for nonconformances on optical builds
• Support integration of optical assemblies with their electromechanical interfaces, including harnessing, sensor electronics, thermal management hardware, and machined structures
• Develop the subassembly build flow and iterate to create an efficient production flow, ensuring build times align with current takt times as production scales
• Support environmental acceptance and qualification test campaigns (e.g., thermal vacuum, vibration, thermal cycling) on optical assemblies from a build and test-readiness standpoint
• Partner with a team of optical manufacturing engineers to perform R&D of novel optics manufacturing and alignment technologies for current and future payloads

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, optical mechanical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline
• 3+ years of experience in a high volume, rapid production environment in a manufacturing, integration, and/or design engineering role
• Demonstrated results with product development and/or process improvements
• Experience setting up a manufacturing/production floor for first article builds
• Experience designing and implementing technologies for avionics subassembly manufacturing including wire harness manufacturing and PCBA/mechanical enclosure assembly
• Experience providing DFX guidance on optomechanical designs, with the ability to read and review mechanical and optical drawings, including GD&T and optical tolerance callouts
• Familiarity with optical metrology equipment such as interferometers, autocollimators, theodolites, laser trackers, and power meters
• Experience working with FOD, ESD-sensitive hardware, cleanroom requirements, and optical cleaning methods and solvents
• Familiarity with industry standards governing optical components and assemblies, including optical specification (ISO 10110, MIL-PRF-13830), interferometric measurement (ISO 14999), optical coatings (ISO 9211, MIL-C-48497), contamination control and cleanrooms (ISO 14644, IEST-STD-CC1246), materials outgassing (ASTM E595), adhesive bonding and staking (NASA-STD-8739.1), fiber optic terminations and cable assemblies (NASA-STD-8739.5), ESD control (ANSI/ESD S20.20), and laser safety (ANSI Z136.1, IEC 60825-1)

Nice to Have

• Proficiency with CAD software (NX or equivalent), and familiarity with optical design and analysis tools (e.g., Zemax, Ansys) and STOP analysis outputs
• Experience working with MES to set up the foundation for procedure creation and documenting non-conformances
• Deep working knowledge of the optical, contamination control, materials, and workmanship standards listed above, plus environmental test standards such as GSFC-STD-7000 (GEVS) and SMC-S-016, with the ability to flow them down into drawings, procedures, and supplier requirements
• Experience with high-volume optics manufacturing and test (tens to 1,000+ units)
• Experience with optical fabrication techniques such as single-point diamond turning, and with reflective telescope architectures including off-axis, three-mirror anastigmat, and freeform designs
• Experience conducting environmental acceptance and qualification test campaigns on optical assemblies
• Experience with wavefront optimization through alignment, including computer-aided alignment methods
• Experience with optical fiber handling and processing, including splicing, cleaving, polishing, and polarization-maintaining components
• Experience modifying and qualifying COTS optics and assemblies for extreme environments
• Experience selecting and processing space-grade adhesives and low-outgassing materials for optical bonding and staking
• Experience with integrated electro-optical assemblies, including harnessing and PCBA/enclosure assembly, and familiarity with IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, and IPC/WHMA-A-620 workmanship standards
• Experience working with technicians and designing tooling for precision mechanical subassemblies and electronics
• Demonstrated experience developing production processes from the ground up, including driving design improvements for manufacturing
• Experience working with MES to set up the foundation for procedure creation and documenting non-conformances
• Ability to develop or troubleshoot production test code in Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, or similar

Compensation and Benefits:

• Base salary range for this role is $100,000 – $140,000 + 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.

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.