Principal Mechanical Engineer

Principal Mechanical Engineer

Los Angeles, CA

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.

The Role

You will own the success of the mechanical structures and mechanisms that will be key to our satellite operation. In your first 6 months, you will define mechanical requirements, create initial concepts and trades, perform preliminary and detailed analysis, define development test campaigns, trade and select any purchased electromechanical subsystems, and produce development hardware. In your first year, you will validate your designs through prototype iterations and build and qualify flight hardware. In your first two years you will fly your hardware in space while directly supporting production and integration.

Responsibilities

• Take hardware and mechanisms from conceptual design through qualification to on-orbit operations in order to support internal and external customer needs
• Lead design reviews from kickoff through qualification and beyond
• Drive hardware development, including hands-on development testing, analysis correlation, and follow-on hardware iterations
• Perform hardware trades that steer both sub-system and top-level product direction
• Collaborate with a cross-functional team to establish product requirements, company processes, and best practices for hardware design and manufacturing
• Continually own and refine system deliverables and associated schedules throughout development and production

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline
• 10+ years of experience with mechanical and/or electromechanical design and analysis
• Experience with CAD or FEA software packages
• Experience with the practical application of GD&T
• Demonstrated proficiency in the principles of mechanical design, materials, thermodynamics, and fluids
• Demonstrated ability to personally design, build, and test hardware from a blank canvas, including troubleshooting and iterating designs based on downstream feedback

Nice to Have

• Experience designing, building, and testing moving mechanical assemblies for aerospace applications (satellite mechanical systems, payloads, launch vehicles, propulsion systems, and/or aircraft structures and mechanisms)
• Experience with NASA-STD-5017, SMC-S-016, and GSFC-STD-7000 for the design and qualification of in-space Moving Mechanism Assemblies
• Demonstrated ability to own mechanical hardware or systems within an integrated engineering team outside a classroom setting
• Demonstrated understanding of structural analysis and failure modes of complex mechanical systems in space environments and operations
• Independent and self-motivated mindset, with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills

Compensation and Benefits:

• Base salary range for this role is $185,000 – $200,000 + 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.

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, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.