Senior Satellite Manufacturing Engineer Los Angeles, CA

K2 Space is building large, high-powered spacecraft for the next generation of space development. Backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Altimeter Capital, and many others, we have raised $200M to date to mass-produce the highest-powered satellite platforms for missions from LEO to Deep Space.

The rise of launch vehicles like Falcon 9 and Starship enables a move from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance. We believe this new era requires spacecraft with a fundamentally different design to fully utilize the massive rockets coming to market.

We’re a team that believes the future lies in building large, high-powered satellites that can handle multiple orbits. This is a necessity 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 B space startup, we’d love for you to apply.

Partnering with design engineers early on in the process, you will ensure manufacturability, build the first prototype, design the build flow and fixturing, and finalize the process for transition to production. You will test new techniques for manufacturing large satellite structures, harnessing, mechanisms, and integrated electronics systems. In your first 6 months you will develop manufacturing methods and tooling for integrated avionics systems, define manufacturing flows for subsystems, and collaborate with design teams to improve the manufacturability of spacecraft components.

In your first year you will implement these advanced manufacturing techniques on flight hardware and transition the technology you develop to production.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with design engineers to ensure design for manufacturability for initial design, flight hardware, and tooling
• Develop innovative manufacturing systems for large spacecraft assemblies, including electromechanical sub-assemblies, harnessing, welded/bolted structures, and mechanisms
• Create custom tools and processes to support the manufacturing technologies you create including Manufacturing Execution System (MES) software
• Demonstrate the advanced manufacturing techniques on prototypes, working with the design teams to improve the manufacturability of the designs
• Develop the subassembly build flow and iterate to create an efficient production flow for the satellite
• Partner with a team of advanced manufacturing engineers to perform R&D of novel manufacturing technologies for current and future spacecraft products

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline
• 5+ 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 designing tooling for mechanical subassemblies and electronics
• Experience designing hardware for manufacturability
• Demonstrated experience developing production processes from the ground up including driving design improvements for manufacturing
• Experience working closely with technicians and build tooling
• Experience with aerospace manufacturing standards such as soldering standards, torque specifications, welding standards, and quality assurance standards
• Familiarity with CAD software (NX or equivalent) and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
• Experience working with MES to set up the foundation for procedure creation and documenting non-conformances

• Base salary range for this role is $100,000 – $175,000 + 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 unlimited paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental…