Principal Tooling Engineer

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 own the success of custom tooling and structures that will be key to our satellite production and operations. In your first year at K2, you’ll work closely with the production teams to help shape build process decisions, architect tooling systems, and execute on individual tools that will support scaling our manufacturing and operations rate and support performing large-scale qualification testing for our multi-ton spacecraft. You will implement and deliver tooling solutions via a combination of hands-on build and collaboration with in-house and out-of-house fabrication resources. Throughout the process you will be hands-on support, educating end customer teams and validating tool performance alongside them. You’ll have an opportunity to help shape the company’s foundational tooling strategies and processes as we look forward to our mass-abundant goals. 

Responsibilities  

• Design and fabricate tooling and material handling systems for K2 Space satellite bus and associated systems and subsystems 

• Lead development of satellite subsystem production fixtures from project kickoff through production and beyond 

• Drive hands-on development tooling development, sizing and structural analysis of ground support equipment, and continuous improvement of tooling and production operations 

• Support the development of ground test setups, flight hardware, development fixtures, and external customer tooling needs 

• Collaborate with a cross-functional team to establish product requirements, tooling methods and project development schedules  

Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline 

• Experience with CAD or FEA software packages (experience can be in a professional, academic, entrepreneurial, or hobby setting) 

• 8+ years of industry experience with mechanical and/or electromechanical design and analysis 

• Hands-on fabrication experience  

• Experience designing, building, and testing mechanical assemblies and tooling for aerospace or terrestrial applications (satellite mechanical systems, payloads, launch vehicles, propulsion systems, and/or aircraft structures and mechanisms) 

Nice to Have  

• Experience with shipping, materials handling, and clean room operations 

• Experience with the practical application of GD&T 

• Experience with NX (Unigraphics) and Teamcenter PLM 

• Experience with performing structural analysis (Simcenter 3D, Femap, or Hypermesh) 

• Demonstrated ability to own mechanical hardware or systems within an integrated engineering team

• Demonstrated understanding of structural analysis and failure modes of complex mechanical systems in space environments and operations 

• Experience with actuators, controls, data acquisition, and dedicated test or automation equipment (examples include actuated positioning tools, motor dynos, vibration tables, environmental data loggers, motorsports DAQ) 

• Independent and self-motivated mindset, with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills 

Compensation and Benefits:  

• Base salary range for this role is $175,000 - $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.