RF Mechanical Engineer

K2 Space•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by $450M from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, T. Rowe Price, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Alpine Space Ventures, and others – with an additional $500M in signed contracts across commercial and US government customers – we’re mass-producing the highest-power satellite platforms ever built for missions from LEO to deep space. The rise of heavy-lift launch vehicles is shifting the industry from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance, and we believe this new era demands a fundamentally different class of spacecraft. Engineered to survive the harshest radiation environments and to fully capitalize on today’s and tomorrow’s massive rockets, K2 satellites deliver unmatched capability at constellation scale and across multiple orbits. With multiple launches planned through 2026 and 2027, we're Building Bigger 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 C space startup, we’d love for you to apply. The Role You will own the success of the RF-related mechanical structures and any associated mechanisms that will be core RF hardware components for the largest, most powerful satellites in the industry. In your first 6 months, you will define mechanical requirements, create initial concepts and trades, perform preliminary and detailed analysis, define development test campaigns, trade and select any purchased RF mechanical subsystems, and produce development hardware. In your first year, you will validate your designs through prototype iterations and build and qualify flight hardware. To achieve this, you’ll work alongside partners across electrical hardware, test, software, manufacturing, integration, and operations to execute your vision for the highest capability satellite RF mechanical systems in the industry.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline
2+ years of experience with mechanical and/or electromechanical design and analysis
Experience with CAD or FEA software packages
Experience with the practical application of GD&T
Demonstrated proficiency in the principles of mechanical design, materials, thermodynamics, and thermal solutions
Demonstrated ability to personally design, build, and test hardware from a blank canvas, including troubleshooting and iterating designs based on downstream feedback

Nice To Haves

Experience designing, building, and testing RF systems, antenna design, and deployment mechanisms for aerospace applications (satellite mechanical systems, payloads, launch vehicles, propulsion systems, and/or aircraft structures and mechanisms)
Experience with NASA-STD-5017, SMC-S-016, and GSFC-STD-7000 for the design and qualification of in-space Moving Mechanism Assemblies and electronics enclosures
Demonstrated ability to own mechanical hardware or systems within an integrated engineering team outside a classroom setting
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
Active Top Secret or Secret clearance with SAP eligibility

Responsibilities

Take RF mechanical hardware from conceptual design through qualification to on-orbit operations in order to support internal and external customer needs
Lead design reviews from kickoff through qualification and beyond
Drive mechanical hardware development, including hands-on development testing, analysis correlation, and follow-on hardware iterations
Perform hardware trades that steer both RF mechanical sub-system and top-level RF hardware direction
Collaborate with a cross-functional RF team to establish mechanical hardware product requirements, company processes, and best practices for hardware design and manufacturing
Continually own and refine system deliverables and associated schedules throughout development and production