Avionics Systems 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 system design, analysis, testing and integration of avionics on some of the largest, most powerful, rapidly designed and manufactured satellites. You will have the unique opportunity to collaborate with a cross functional team of engineers to make impactful architecture trades, design new spacecraft hardware, and manage the overall avionics system implementation. You will be the Responsible Engineer for Avionics interfacing, harnessing, instrumentation, RF components, and GNC actuators. You will help establish production test requirements and support vehicle avionics integration to enable high-rate production and constellation launch cadence. In your first two years, you will have qualified hardware for flight, completed avionics integration on the satellite bus, and flown your first spacecraft. 

Responsibilities 

• Serve as Responsible Engineer for Avionics system design, performance, and hardware across the computing, power system, instrumentation, RF components, GNC sensors, and harnessing on the satellite bus 

• Collaborate closely within the cross functional Engineering teams to capture requirements, lead design trades, and integrate the design into the spacecraft systems 

• Create and update technical documentation including system diagrams, schematics, interface control documents, procedures, test/anomaly reports 

• Execute Avionics component and system testing on flight hardware through development acceptance, qualification, and integration testing 

• Support spacecraft integration testing, production issue dispositions, troubleshooting failures, and managing overall spacecraft risk 

• Design, develop and build Avionics production infrastructure 

• Write modular, reusable test, analysis, and automation software in Python and Rust 

• Effectively manage and communicate project plan, milestones, and schedule execution 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering or any equivalent combination of education and experience 

• 2+ years of experience in the documentation, development, testing, and integration of space-grade avionics systems 

• Ability to work in a fast-paced and high velocity start-up atmosphere  

• Creative problem solver that can assess risk and make collaborative design and development decisions 

Nice to Have 

• Hands-on experience with environmental testing for space electronics and harnessing such as thermal, thermal vacuum, vibration, shock, radiation, and EMI/EMC testing per SMC-S-016 

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