Mechanical Buyer

About the role

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by over $1 billion in total funding from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, ICONIQ, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures, and T. Rowe Price - and with over $1 billion 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 in 2027 and plans to scale to 100 satellites a year, we're Building Bigger - helping develop the solar system and build toward 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 high-growth Series D-funded company, we'd love for you to apply.

The Role

You will be responsible for several aspects of the critical supply chain organization. You will be responsible for finding, building, and managing the quality of parts running in our mechanical supply chains. Key skills will include technical procurement of mechanical and structural hardware and Bill of Material (BOM) management for owned assemblies. You will travel to suppliers in order to monitor progress and health while negotiating business contracts and price reductions over time to ensure strategic reductions in costs over time.

Responsibilities

Technical Procurement

• Source structural and mechanical hardware across the satellite often on expedited lead times
• Negotiate costs and contracts with key suppliers
• Manage supplier quality and deliveries to ensure mission success
• Act as the primary interface between suppliers and internal customers including: supplier onboarding, evaluation, negotiation, and project management

Material Planning

• Manage Bill of Materials for mechanical and structural assemblies
• Help implement the master planning schedule for high volume production
• Lead clear to builds with engineering to ensure assembly milestones are completed to hit critical milestones
• Develop internal analytics to track supply chain objectives

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in supply chain management or engineering in the aerospace industry
• 2+ years of experience with commodities such as machined parts, heat pipes, capital equipment, aluminum honeycomb, tubes, tanks
• Experience reading and interpreting technical engineering drawings
• Strong understanding of inventory management
• 2+ years managing bill of materials for mechanical assemblies
• 1+ year of experience with SQL or other information processing software tool
• Ability to collaborate in a cross-functional environment with engineering, production, and finance
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time

Nice to Have

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, finance, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or mathematics
• 3+ years of technical procurement experience
• 3+ years in a new product introduction environment
• Experience implementing AS9100 or completing AS9100 audits

Compensation and Benefits

• Base salary range for this role is $65,000 - $100,000 + 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!

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.