Principal Development Test Engineer

K2 Space • Los Angeles, CA

64d • $150,000 - $185,000

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.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline
• 8+ years of industry experience with mechanical, structural, and/or electromechanical test, design, and analysis
• Experience designing, building, and testing mechanical assemblies and test fixtures for aerospace or terrestrial applications (satellite mechanical systems, payloads, launch vehicles, propulsion systems, and/or aircraft structures and mechanisms)
• Experience with CAD or FEA software packages
• Hands-on fabrication experience

Nice To Haves

• Experience with data acquisition, controls, and dedicated test equipment (examples include motor dynos, material testers, vibration tables, environmental data loggers, motorsports DAQ)
• Experience with the practical application of GD&T
• Experience with NX (Unigraphics) and Teamcenter PLM
• Experience with performing structural analysis (Simcenter 3D, Femap, or Hypermesh)
• Basic practical programming abilities (Python, MATLAB, Simulink, C++, R, LabVIEW)
• Demonstrated ability to own mechanical hardware or systems within an integrated engineering team
• Demonstrated understanding of structural analysis and failure modes of complex mechanical systems in space environments and operations
• Independent and self-motivated mindset, with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills

Responsibilities

• Design and fabricate test hardware, test stands, and test systems, as well as execute development tests for structures, components, and materials in order to support internal and external customer needs
• Lead satellite subsystem test campaigns from kickoff through test report and beyond
• Drive hands on hardware development testing, analysis processing/data reduction, and continuous improvement of testing methods and best practices across the company
• Steer the development of data acquisition, control, and instrumentation systems at the integrated level and develop internal tools and company-wide best practices
• Collaborate with a cross-functional team to establish product requirements, testing methods and project test schedules, and mentor early-career engineers

Benefits

• Base salary range for this role is $150,000 - $185,000 + equity in the company
• Comprehensive benefits package including unlimited 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: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 51-100 employees