Senior Solar Design Engineer

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

Critical to achieving K2's vision of deploying at scale across MEO, GEO, cis-lunar, and deep space are the solar arrays. Scaling to constellations requires engineers who can span technical domains from module technology and electrical power system interactions to soft goods, deployment mechanisms, structures, integration, and high-rate production.

You will drive the design, manufacturing, testing, and deployment of high-power solar arrays at production scale. The development timelines, operating environments, mission lifetimes, and cost targets we are pursuing demand meaningful innovation - you will tackle these challenges with the full resources and support of K2.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver solar array electrical and mechanical subsystems, contributing to system architecture and lifecycle performance margin analysis
• Develop and maintain electrical performance degradation models across environment variations including radiation, thermal cycling, and UV exposure
• Define and execute assembly-level acceptance and qualification test procedures
• Collaborate with avionics, structures/mechanisms, software, and production teams on solar system requirements, integrated qualification/acceptance testing, and on-orbit data review
• Support design reviews, own subsystem deliverables, and maintain accurate development schedules out to 9+ months
• Drive manufacturing processes for in-house fabrication and assembly, including evaluation of manufacturing equipment, development of work instructions, in-process checkouts, and end-of-line testing
• Work with the production team to develop factory layouts and processes that enable high-rate solar array builds

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in physics, materials science, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field
• 5+ years of experience in the design, manufacture, and test of solar arrays for space applications

Nice to Have

• Experience with solar array system development for space applications, including requirements definition, design, development testing, manufacturing, and qualification
• Background working across multiple solar array architectures with variations in cell, module, and system technologies for high-power, long-life applications
• Familiarity with AIAA S111/S112, SMC-S-016, NASA-STD-5017, and NASA-STD-4005 for the design and qualification of solar modules, moving mechanism assemblies, and spacecraft charging effects
• Experience designing solar arrays for resilience to radiation environments
• Understanding of structural analysis and failure modes for complex mechanical systems in space environments
• Understanding of high-voltage solar array degradation analysis and failure modes
• 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 $140,000 - $175,000 + equity in the company
• Salary and level 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.