Manager, Build Engineering

K2 Space • Los Angeles, CA

11d • $160,000 - $215,000

About The Position

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. You'll oversee the integration of the full satellite while shaping the production muscle that will carry us into the future. From first vehicle to scaled fleet, you’ll build the factory of tomorrow and enable us to produce satellites at a rate that matches our vision for space. You won’t just oversee the build; from the first bolt torqued to final vehicle delivery, you’ll architect the process, tools, and culture that make quality at scale possible. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with design, systems, and production teams, you’ll champion design changes that unlock speed, precision, and manufacturability. Our goal to produce more than one satellite per week will depend on your vision, your ability to rally cross-functional teams, and your drive to shape the factory of the future.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, manufacturing, aerospace, or related engineering field
• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience
• Experience leading projects through prototype builds, design iterations, and scaling to production
• Experience creating clear, effective work instructions, process documentation, and tooling designs
• Track record of managing vendors, suppliers, and strategic technical partners to deliver on time and per specification

Nice To Haves

• 10+ years of manufacturing engineering experience
• Experience leading and/or managing large teams on technically complex projects throughout the development and build process
• Background in high-volume or highly automated manufacturing environments
• Experience with precision alignment, metrology, complex system integration, and lift operations
• Familiarity with cleanroom operations and satellite or spacecraft assembly requirements
• Experience leading integration efforts for high-volume or rapid-turn spacecraft programs
• Excellent cross-team communication and problem-solving skills
• Active Top Secret or DoD Secret clearance with SAP eligibility

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a world-class team – hire, mentor, and develop experts in process engineering, tooling design, build reliability, assembly, and integration
• Own spacecraft integration through final vehicle assembly and launch site processing, ensuring accuracy, repeatability, and quality
• Develop assembly flows, tooling requirements, fixtures, build sequencing, and process documentation that make flawless execution repeatable
• Partner early with design teams to drive design-for-integration and ensure our spacecraft is as producible as it is revolutionary
• Mold our MES system and production supporting applications to best serve the company’s top priorities
• Collaborate closely with manufacturing, design, quality, supply chain, production, and test teams to resolve build issues, ensure integration readiness, and maintain schedule
• Represent build engineering in design reviews, readiness reviews, and with customers

Benefits

• Base salary range for this role is $160,000 - $215,000 + 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 paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many other perks

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 51-100 employees