Senior Simulation Software Engineer

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 ($200M raised to date), we intend to mass produce the highest-powered satellite platforms ever built for missions across LEO to Deep Space. 

The rise of launch vehicles like Falcon 9 and Starship enables the move from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance. We believe this new era requires spacecraft with a fundamentally different design in order 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 if we ever want 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. 

The Role 

You will be responsible for simulating and verifying the software used to fly some of the largest satellites that have ever been flown, using both hardware-in-the-loop and hardware-out-of-the-loop testing. Where needed, you will be able to step into different parts of the software stack to drive solutions end-to-end and even make changes to vehicle flight software. 

In your first 6 months you will develop core pieces of simulation software models, including adding new fidelity, fault injection capabilities, interfacing with simulation hardware, and modeling power systems. In your first year you will generalize simulation software architecture to allow testing and designing multiple spacecraft, demonstrating robust performance in demanding missions. In your first two years you will design many-agent simulations and design tools for operating entire constellations of satellites, informing critical company decisions. This role requires in person presence at our headquarters in Torrance, CA. 

Responsibilities 

• Create and maintain simulation software infrastructure for our 20kW+ spacecraft 
• Develop physics-based software models for testing control of spacecraft subsystems, including propulsion, guidance/attitude control, thermal, power, and communications systems 
• Author drivers for simulation hardware 
• Create and utilize robust tools to allow for rapid deployment of quality code 
• Perform data analysis and anomaly investigation to identify and resolve software bugs 
• Support integration and testing of spacecraft subsystems 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in physics, aerospace/mechanical/electrical engineering, computer science, math, or a STEM field or 3+ years of professional experience in software engineering or relevant professions  
• Development experience in Rust, C++, or similar compiled language 
• Coursework or experience in numerical methods, ordinary differential equations, mechanics, and electricity and magnetism 

Nice to Have 

• Master’s or PhD in physics, aerospace/mechanical/electrical engineering, or a STEM field 
• Experience working in Rust production environments 
• Experience using scientific Python (NumPy, SciPy, etc.), Julia, MATLAB, or similar 
• Experience defining and creating simulation systems for both hardware-in-the-loop and hardware-out-of-the-loop testing 
• Experience with Monte Carlo simulations and probability/statistics 
• Experience with linear algebra, signal processing, controls, and/or orbital mechanics 
• Experience with space