{"id":1276477,"url":"https://alion.io/job/k2-space-principal-turbomachinery-engineer","title":"Principal Turbomachinery Engineer","company":{"id":171840,"name":"K2 Space","domain":"k2space.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/k2-space","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":85,"open_postings":199,"ghost_share":0.166,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":86,"computed_at":"2026-10-21T05:46:15Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"lead","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Los Angeles, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":175000,"max":200000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":200000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":8,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-26T00:08:04Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-26","last_verified_at":"2026-10-21T05:44:39Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":25,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":["company_stale"],"days_open":25},"description":"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.\nThe 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.\nWith 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.\nThe Role \nCritical to achieving K2's vision is deploying our 20-kW high-power spacecraft platform at scale across MEO, GEO, cis-lunar, and deep space. Realizing that vision means actively controlling the heat generated by the high-power payloads our platform hosts. This requires active thermal control systems such as pumped fluid loops, built from fluid turbomachinery, valves, accumulators, and pressure and temperature instrumentation. Scaling to constellations requires someone who can span the mechanical, fluid, electromechanical, and thermal-fluid domains and collaborate closely with the thermal, avionics, software, and production teams to deliver these systems at rate. \nAs Principal Turbomachinery Engineer, you will define how K2 designs, analyzes, manufactures, tests, integrates, and deploys precision turbomachinery for integration into active thermal control systems. You will own these unique pieces of turbomachinery from concept through integration and rate production. You will be responsible for mission-critical hardware which goes to space. \nResponsibilities \nResponsible for turbomachinery mechanisms in the spacecraft active thermal control system, including: \nArchitectural down-selection, design, and tolerancing \nPump- and mechanism-specific analyses (rotor dynamics, bearings and seals, hydraulic performance, structural, thermal-fluid) \nEnvironmental test and qualification plans \nGround- and in-flight performance validation plans \nSupply chain and high-volume manufacturing trades \nPartner with the thermal and platform architecture teams to scope the long-term K2 pumped-fluid-loop roadmap, and system performance requirements \nCollaborate with thermal, structures, avionics, and satellite bus teams to determine optimal operations and requirements for the pump, supporting mechanisms, and broader fluid loop \nPrepare design reviews to secure stakeholder buy-in and communicate expectations across hardware, software, test, and manufacturing teams \nOwn and refine program deliverables and schedules throughout development and production \nEvaluate and select manufacturing equipment for specialty processes (impeller machining, rotating-assembly balancing, leak/flow test) \nPartner with production to develop work instructions, in-process checkouts, and end-of-line tests \nQualifications \nBachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline \n8+ years of experience with mechanical and/or electromechanical design and analysis \n2+ years of experience design and analysis of turbomachinery in harsh environments \nExperience with CAD or FEA software packages \nNice to Have \nExperience designing, building, and testing centrifugal or axial pumps for closed-loop thermal systems, including impeller geometry, volute/diffuser design, and hydraulic performance prediction \nExperience with NASA-STD-5017, SMC-S-016, and GSFC-STD-7000 for the design and qualification of in-space Moving Mechanism Assemblies \nExperience with bearing analysis, preload techniques, and preload measurement \nExperience with the practical application of GD&T \nDemonstrated ability to own moving mechanism assemblies across the full product lifecycle in a high velocity environment \nDemonstrated understanding of structural analysis and failure modes of complex mechanical systems in space environments and operations \nIndependent and self-motivated mindset, with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills across disciplines \nCompensation and Benefits: \nBase salary range for this role is $175,000 - $200,000 + equity in the company \nSalary and level will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: knowledge and skills, education, and experience level \nComprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many other perks \nIf 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!\nIf you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.\nExport Compliance\nAs 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.”\nThe 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.\nEqual Opportunity\nK2 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.","description_format":"text","description_chars":6684,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":8,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Life insurance","Parental leave"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Satellite Manufacturing"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-26T01:49:44Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.903,"p_room":1,"age_days":25,"expected_fill_days":86,"reasons":["conf:0","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-21T05:46:15Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":200000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/k2-space-principal-turbomachinery-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/k2-space-principal-turbomachinery-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-21T07:04:32Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":10017,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-22T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":171840},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=171840"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fk2-space-principal-turbomachinery-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fk2-space-principal-turbomachinery-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fk2-space-principal-turbomachinery-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/k2-space-principal-turbomachinery-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fk2-space-principal-turbomachinery-engineer"}]}