Senior Solar Process Engineer

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 

The materials that go into K2's solar arrays — from module interconnects and adhesive systems to cover glass coatings and substrate composites — directly determine how much power they produce, how long they last, and how fast we can build them. Collaborating across the engineering and production teams, you will own the success of the materials selections and their implementations that will be key to our successful satellite operation. 

You will define how K2 selects, qualifies, and scales materials and processes for its solar array systems and other subsystems. The operating environments, mission lifetimes, and production rates we are pursuing demand meaningful impact in how our materials are characterized, qualified, and manufactured. You will own the success of implementation of material systems in the development while scaling of K2’s solar array design. 

Responsibilities 

• Serve as a Responsible M&P engineer for our satellite bus structures, mechanisms, thermal, electrical, and solar array systems, including adhesives, sealants, cover glass and coatings 
• Partner with experienced M&P engineers to help define the strategy and qualification philosophy for satellite materials spanning LEO to deep space mission environments 
• Research, trade, and select conventional and novel materials and processes for various novel applications   
• Define qualification criteria, test envelopes, and characterization campaigns that establish material performance margins across radiation, thermal cycling, mechanical, and plasma environments 
• Lead design reviews, continually own system-level M&P deliverables, and drive development schedules with accurate projections looking 12+ months ahead 
• Collaborate with solar, structures/mechanisms, thermal, avionics, and production teams to define material-driven requirements, integrated qualification/acceptance testing, and on-orbit data review 
• Lead failure analysis and root cause investigations for material-related anomalies, establishing corrective action processes that feed back into design and production 
• Evaluate, qualify, and manage material suppliers, including incoming inspection criteria, lot acceptance requirements, and supply chain risk mitigation 
• Author, implement, and maintain M&P requirements, material and process specifications, technical specifications, and engineering work standards related to solar array materials and others used on throughout the spacecraft 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in materials science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, aerospace engineering, or a related technical discipline 
• 2+ years of experience in materials and process engineering, with demonstrated depth in material selection, characterization, qualification, and production-scale process development 
• Demonstrated track record of material and process decisions that have been validated through flight or equivalent high-reliability hardware programs 

Nice to Have 

• Master's degree or PhD in materials science, chemical engineering, or a related field 
• Experience architecting M&P programs for solar array systems across the full development lifecycle — requirements definition, trade studies, development testing, qualification, production, and on-orbit data analysis 
• Background working across multiple solar array material systems with variations in cell technology, interconnect metallurgy, encapsulant chemistry, and substrate architecture 
• Deep understanding of adhesive systems, composites, thin films, thermal interface materials, and coatings as applied to high-power, long-life solar arrays 
• Familiarity with AIAA S111/S112, SMC-S-016, NASA-STD-4005, NASA-STD-5017, and NASA-STD-6016 for the qualification of solar modules, materials usage, and spacecraft charging effects 
• Experience with radiation effects on solar materials, including displacement damage dose modeling, ionization effects, UV degradation, and atomic oxygen erosion 
• Expertise in key M&P disciplines including fracture mechanics, corrosion control, fluid/outgassing compatibility, descriptive and inferential statistics, and failure analysis 
• Proficiency with material characterization techniques and tools (SEM, EDS, FTIR, DSC, TGA, XRD, or equivalent) 
• Experience scaling material processes from prototype to high-rate production, including SPC implementation and manufacturing equipment qualification 
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes including soldering, wire bonding, welding, lamination, heat treatment, plating, conversion coatings, and surface modification 
• Python or MATLAB proficiency for test data analysis and degradation modeling 
• Independent and self-motivated mindset with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills across disciplines 

Compensation and Benefits: 

• Base salary range for this role is $100,000 - $140,000 + 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 

If you don’t meet 100% of the preferred skills and experience, we encourage you to still apply! Building a spacecraft unlike any other requires a team unlike any other and non-traditional career twists and turns are encouraged!

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

Export Compliance

As defined in the ITAR, “U.S. Persons” include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (i.e., Green Card holders), and certain protected individuals (e.g., refugees/asylees, American Samoans). Please consult with a knowledgeable advisor if you are unsure whether you are a “U.S. Person.”

The person hired for this role will have access to information and items controlled by U.S. export control regulations, including the export control regulations outlined in the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR). The person hired for this role must therefore either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.

Equal Opportunity

K2 Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with K2 Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.