{"id":2555307,"url":"https://alion.io/job/space-kinetic-signal-chain-processing-engineer","title":"Signal Chain Processing Engineer","company":{"id":685289,"name":"Space Kinetic","domain":"spacekinetic.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/spacekinetic","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":93,"open_postings":33,"ghost_share":0.03,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":145,"computed_at":"2026-10-14T06:34:16Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"middle","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["El Segundo, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":96000,"max_usd":178000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":3384},"experience_years_min":4,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"Computer Vision","optional":false},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Sensor Fusion","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-14T18:38:47Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-14","last_verified_at":"2026-10-14T22:41:18Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":0,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":0},"description":"A New Paradigm for Space Operations.\nWho We Are:\nSpace Kinetic is a dual-use space technology startup building a completely new architecture for space operations-one that brings the advantages of proliferated drone technology to space missions while reducing the ecosystem’s reliance on consumable fuel. In a world where many companies are focused on incrementally improving the status quo, we are focused on creating something entirely different-an architecture underpinned by new first principles to meet the opportunities and challenges of the third space age head-on. Our goal is to move away from one-to-one space architectures, where each satellite has one or a small number of primary payloads attached to the bus, and unlock a one-to-many system in which each satellite carries numerous payloads that can be deployed from their host spacecraft at high velocities without firing a thruster.\nThis is not a role for someone looking for a traditional 40-hour work week. Space Kinetic is building ambitious, first-of-its-kind technology, and that requires urgency, ownership, and a high level of commitment to changing the foundational assumptions for everything we do in space.\nWhat You’ll Do:\nWe are seeking a Signal Chain Processing Engineer to own the design, integration, and qualification of optical processing systems for our spacecraft and payload technologies. This is a hands-on role for an engineer who has built optical processing systems in early architecture, design, testing, and on-orbit operations.\nJob Responsibilities:\nSelect, develop, and evaluate processing techniques, optimizing calibration, background suppression, signal augmentation, target detection, geolocation, and multi-target and multi-sensor tracking\nLeverage end-to-end data exploitation and analytics knowledge to validate novel image and signal processing algorithms\nApply end-to-end knowledge of data exploitation and data analytics to develop verification and validation of new image and signal processing algorithms and inform trade studies to optimize performance of space payloads\nCraft innovative, multi-phenomenon solutions, specialized visualizations, and analytical reports for company leadership\nDevelop alignment, calibration, metrology, and automated test methods to characterize optical performance.\nAnalyze test data, diagnose optical performance issues, lead anomaly investigations, and implement corrective design actions.\nPartner with mechanical, electrical, software, systems, manufacturing, and supplier teams to deliver manufacturable, flight-ready hardware and software.\nWhat It Takes:\nBachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Imaging Science, Mathematics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.\n4+ years of relevant experience in EO/IR imaging, image or signal processing, computer vision, object detection and tracking, remote sensing, or optical sensor systems.\nExperience developing detection, localization, computer vision, and tracking algorithms and their application to real or simulated imagery data.\nStrong understanding of image formation, optics, detectors, calibration, noise, sensitivity, resolution, and their impact on downstream algorithm performance. Adept at conducting modeling and simulation, test data generation, algorithm performance trade studies, and reporting findings to stakeholders\nProficiency in Python, MATLAB, C++, or a similar language for optical modeling, test automation, and data analysis.\nExperience working with visible and/or infrared imaging systems, and familiarity with laboratory characterization of imaging or optical systems to work effectively with optical hardware and test equipment.\nWhat We'd Love:\nExperience developing optical imaging systems for spacecraft, satellites, defense platforms, long-range tracking and detection, airborne systems, or other high-reliability applications.\nExperience with infrared systems, free-space optics, laser communications, imaging payloads, star trackers, or pointing, acquisition, and tracking systems.\nExperience with state estimation, sensor fusion, multi-target tracking, data association, Kalman filtering, visual navigation, or spacecraft attitude and line-of-sight determination.\nExperience with LWIR imaging, radiometric calibration, detector characterization, optical alignment, metrology, star-field processing, or other image-based spacecraft localization techniques. Advanced degree in a related STEM field, particularly Remote Sensing, Imaging Science, Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics, Atmospheric Science, Computer Science, Optical or Electrical Engineering\nPublished work in scientific journals or technical conferences on remote sensing or algorithm development and analysis\nExperience with relevant Space Domain Awareness, Missile Defense, and/or Intel Community data types and tradecraft\nExperience applying artificial intelligence/computer vision methods to object detection, feature extraction, and tracking applications\nWhere You'll Be:\nThe position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. Domestic travel may be required (up to ~20% of the year).\nWhat We Offer:\nEquity-Based Compensation\n401(k) retirement plan with a 3.5% company match\nHighly Competitive PTO\nPaid company holidays + winter break\nComprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance\nUnique Performance-based bonus opportunities\nITAR Requirements:\nTo conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be (i) a U.S. citizen or national, (ii) a U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) a refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, (iv) an asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or otherwise eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.\nEqual Employment Opportunity:\nSpace Kinetic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.\nThe annual base salary for this role is below. Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job-related skills, relevant education/experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity. \nThe annual base salary for this role is below. Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job-related skills, relevant education/experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity. \nPay Range\n$135,000—$192,000 USD","description_format":"text","description_chars":6911,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":4,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Retirement plans","Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Missiles","Space Services"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-14T18:58:58Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":86,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.86,"p_room":1,"age_days":0,"expected_fill_days":145,"reasons":["conf:2","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-15T01:20:39Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/space-kinetic-signal-chain-processing-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/space-kinetic-signal-chain-processing-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-15T01:20:39Z","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":1666,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-16T00:00:00Z"}},"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":685289},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=685289"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fspace-kinetic-signal-chain-processing-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%2Fspace-kinetic-signal-chain-processing-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%2Fspace-kinetic-signal-chain-processing-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/space-kinetic-signal-chain-processing-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fspace-kinetic-signal-chain-processing-engineer"}]}