SCI)

K2 Space•Los Angeles, CA

8d•$160,000 - $245,000

About The Position

K2 is hiring a Principal Crypto Engineer to own the technical architecture and design of Type-1 cryptographic integrations across spacecraft, payload, and ground segments. Reporting to the VP of Satellite Engineering & Operations, this foundational role leads designs from concept and trade studies through implementation, integration, and test. The engineer will define how K2 satellites protect command, telemetry, and mission data at the hardware and software levels, with designs suitable for high-volume satellite production. The role partners closely with the National Security team’s COMSEC Certification Lead, who owns the path to NSA approval. The engineer will establish reusable cryptographic designs, interfaces, and standards for the broader program and support troubleshooting of fielded and on-orbit cryptographic systems. Travel of up to 15% and irregular business hours may be required to support critical project timelines or operations. An active Top Secret or Top Secret SCI clearance is required, as is the ability to obtain and maintain access to additional programs as needed. The person hired must be a U.S. person under ITAR or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license. The base salary range is $160,000–$245,000, plus company equity. Compensation depends on factors including knowledge, skills, education, and experience. Benefits include paid time off, medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and other perks.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or a related discipline.
At least 5 years of engineering experience designing or integrating cryptographic systems or secure communications.
Hands-on experience integrating NSA Type-1 cryptographic equipment into a hardware or software system.
Working knowledge of key management and key loading implementations.
Strong systems-level thinking and ability to reason from first principles across hardware, software, and RF boundaries.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, demanding startup environment with competing priorities and aggressive schedules.
Active Top Secret or Top Secret SCI clearance, and ability to obtain and maintain access to additional programs as needed.
Ability to travel up to 15% of the time.
Ability to work irregular business hours to support critical project timelines or operations.
Must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.

Nice To Haves

Experience with spacecraft, satellite, or other space-system cryptographic integrations.
Experience with embedded systems, FPGA design, or flight software.
Familiarity with cryptographic modernization initiatives and current NSA-approved algorithms and equipment.
Background in RF, link design, or secure command and telemetry systems.
Exposure to NSA certification processes.

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end technical architecture of Type-1 cryptographic integrations across spacecraft, payload, and ground segments.
Lead crypto designs from concept and trade studies through implementation, integration, and test.
Design encryption, key management, and key loading implementations for command, telemetry, and mission data.
Integrate cryptographic functions into flight software, avionics, FPGA, RF, and ground systems in partnership with those teams.
Define hardware and software interfaces between crypto equipment and the broader system architecture.
Produce design documentation and test evidence needed to support certification, working closely with K2’s COMSEC Certification Lead.
Identify and mitigate cryptographic design risks across hardware, software, and RF boundaries.
Establish reusable cryptographic designs, interfaces, and standards that scale across K2’s production line.
Support anomaly resolution and troubleshooting for fielded and on-orbit crypto systems.