Head of Solar

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 

Solar power isn’t a subsystem at K2, it’s the capability that makes everything else possible. Our arrays are what allow us to operate at power levels no satellite has ever sustained, across the most demanding orbits in the solar system. Getting that right, at scale, is one of the most consequential engineering challenges in the company.  

As Head of Solar, you’ll own it entirely. From early-stage technology development and module innovation through design maturation, manufacturing, test, and on-orbit performance – the solar array program is yours to build and lead. You will grow a cross-functional organization spanning design, analysis, manufacturing, and integration, and set the technical direction and operational cadence needed to meet our most ambitious cost, schedule, and reliability targets. 

The missions we’re building toward are unlike anything the industry has flown: extreme radiation environments, multi-year lifetimes, and production volumes that demand manufacturing infrastructure built for rate and not one-off heroics. This is a rare opportunity to define what world-class solar engineering looks like inside a vertically integrated space company, and to build the team and systems that make it real. 

Responsibilities 

• Build, scale, and lead the Solar Engineering organization across design, manufacturing, process, and automation disciplines 

• Own the solar hardware technical baseline end-to-end: from array and module design through process qualification, tooling and automation infrastructure, and flight-ready production delivery 

• Take hardware and mechanisms from conceptual design through qualification to on-orbit operations, including hands-on testing, analysis, and iterative design refinement 

• Identify and invest in transformative technologies that unlock step-change improvements in rate, reliability, and unit economics 

• Set the strategic direction for how solar hardware is designed and manufactured at scale, establishing the systems, processes, and standards that enable high-rate production 

• Collaborate with a cross-functional team to establish product requirements, company processes, and best practices for hardware design and manufacturing 

• Represent Solar Engineering at the executive level driving alignment on technical direction, risk, and program execution 

Qualifications 

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

• 8+ years of experience with mechanical and/or electromechanical design and analysis in solar or electro-mechanical systems 

• 4+ years of experience building and leading large, multi-disciplinary engineering teams including managing managers and developing senior ICs across multiple functional areas 

• Demonstrated ability to own a complex engineering function end-to-end through major program phases, from development and design iteration through production ramp and sustained delivery 

• Executive-level communication and stakeholder management skills 

• Experience with CAD or FEA software packages 

Nice to Have 

• Direct experience leading solar array engineering for space applications, spanning design, module interconnect processes, module lamination, integrated PVA construction, and flight array integration 

• Demonstrated background scaling a multi-disciplinary engineering organization from early-stage development to full-rate production in a high-reliability or aerospace environment 

• Hands-on background in robotics, vision-guided assembly, or electromechanical controls for manufacturing applications 

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

• Experience with NASA-STD-5017, SMC-S-016, and GSFC-STD-7000 for the design and qualification of in-space Moving Mechanism Assemblies 

• Experience with the practical application of GD&T 

• 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 $200,000 - $250,000 + 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!

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.