Senior Electrical Engineer, High Speed Mixed Signal
$140k - $200k USD
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 be responsible for leading the design and development of high speed mixed signal electronics to be hosted on some of the largest, most powerful, rapidly designed and rapidly manufactured satellites ever deployed in space. In your first 6 months, you will architect, develop, test, and integrate new high speed electronics for use in SDR (software defined radio) systems for satellite communications and beyond. You will work with a multidisciplinary team of RF (radiofrequency), FPGA (field programmable gate array), software, mechanical, and electrical engineers in order to prototype your systems and refine your designs. In your first two years, you will have flown your system in space and developed cutting-edge high speed mixed signal electronics systems.
Responsibilities
- Design and develop mixed signal and high speed digital hardware, including architecture definition, component selection, schematic capture, PCB (printed circuit board) layout, bringup, and documentation
- Complete ownership of the successful operation of high speed mixed signal electronics to be used on spacecraft RF systems
- Qualify your designs through environmental testing including vibration, shock, thermal, thermal vacuum, and radiation testing
- Support your product through production and spaceflight
- Collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders to integrate your designs into the spacecraft system
- Act as technical leader and subject-matter expert helping to teach, grow, and mentor others in the team
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science, computer engineering, or related science, technology, engineering, or mathematics field
- 5+ years of experience with full cycle development of mixed signal PCBAs for RF applications using microprocessors, FPGAs, multi-GHz SerDes (JESD204), DRAM (DDR4), Ethernet, SPI, ADCs, operational amplifiers, and power supplies
- 5+ years of full design lifecycle experience with SDR hardware development, including high speed RF data converters (digital to analog and analog to digital converters), clock trees, and data converter interfaces
- 5+ years of experience with mixed signal performance characterization, validation, and debugging (error vector magnitude EVM testing, spur analysis, electromagnetic interference and compliance EMI/EMC)
- Experience with multilayer PCB design in Altium or similar PCB design tools
- Ability to work in a fast-paced and high velocity start-up atmosphere
Nice to Have
- Experience with component selection for use in radiation environments
- Experience with computers and programming languages (Python, Rust, C/C++)
- Knowledge of RF digital communications and digital signal processing (DSP) concepts such as modulation types
- Demonstrated ability to work in a highly cross-functional role on fast-paced projects
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
Compensation and Benefits:
- Base salary range for this role is $140,000 - $200,000 + 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.