Head of Ground Integration, Top Secret Clearance

K2 Space • Los Angeles, CA

9h

About The Position

K2 Space operates constellations spanning commercial, science, and national security missions using a mix of in-house and legacy ground systems. In this role, you will be responsible for leading the team in charge of integrating all of these systems into a cohesive, reliable ground network. The ground systems you and your team build will be capable of bridging the gap between heterogeneous constellations in space and the RF and Optical ground segment that controls them. You will be in charge of directing a multi-pronged strategy to invest in K2 ground infrastructure while also engaging with partners to integrate with legacy and 3rd party ground systems. You’ll lead a growing organization of engineers, set the technical roadmap, and ensure we’re delivering ground infrastructure that moves as fast as our hardware. You and your team will collaborate closely with the Ground Software Applications and Flight Software teams to drive new integrations that unlock new mission capabilities for our customers in the classified and unclassified domains.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, mathematics or a STEM discipline or 3+ years of professional experience in software engineering
• 8+ years of experience in software development
• 3+ years of leadership experience at the department or org level
• Experience with the deployment and integration of sophisticated hardware and software systems
• Proven success building and scaling high-impact engineering teams
• Strong track record of delivering enterprise-scale solutions in fast-paced environments
• Deep experience with classified systems and their security requirements
• Top Secret Clearance
• Must be a "U.S. person" as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in aerospace, manufacturing, or mission-critical systems
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Python, C#.NET, Go, Java, or similar
• Familiarity with modern languages (Python, Go, Java, C#, etc.), cloud systems, CI/CD, and container orchestration (Docker/Kubernetes).
• A track record of fostering team culture, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Understanding of existing system architectures that support ground and orbital systems contributing to government and commercial space systems

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the long-term vision for K2 Space’s end-to-end ground systems integration
• Direct and technically lead investment in new in-house ground infrastructure while managing and building relationships with third-party mission partners
• Integrate with customer teams to architect new ground systems capable of operating at multiple levels of classification while delivering secure and reliable constellation operations
• Build and support a team of capable and experienced ground integration engineers responsible for building the connective tissue between new and legacy ground systems
• Ensure teams deliver robust, scalable, and secure systems at startup speed
• Represent K2 Space in recruiting, industry events, customer interactions, and strategic partnerships

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior