Principal Photonic Systems Engineer Verified today
About K2 Space
K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown for missions from LEO to deep space. With $450M in funding and $500M in signed contracts, K2 is mass-producing satellite platforms engineered to survive harsh radiation environments and fully leverage today's heavy-lift launch vehicles.
K2 operates its own vehicles and manifests regular launches to space, uniquely positioning the company to design, test, and deploy optical payloads in MEO, GEO, cis-lunar, and deep space on unprecedented timelines.
The Role
As Principal Photonic Systems Engineer, you will architect, develop, build, and deploy K2's photonic circuits and optical payloads. You own the full lifecycle of photonic technology supporting K2's suite of high-volume optical payloads.
Responsibilities
- Deliver system architecture, signal-to-noise ratio budgets, and system-specific modeling including stray light and fiber coupling analysis
- Execute detailed optical design and tolerancing
- Develop risk reduction timelines, allocate work, and define test strategies
- Conduct environmental qualification and reliability testing
- Lead vendors and external partners in component qualification, supply-chain development, and transition to volume manufacturing
- Perform laboratory characterization, system-level validation, mission readiness assessment, and on-orbit commissioning planning
- Space-qualify commercial off-the-shelf transceiver and propose network-level CONOPs and failure detection and isolation strategies to protect data during radiation events
- Advise on intra-satellite networking and contribute to optical payload software on a case-by-case basis
- Collaborate with optical and satellite bus teams to determine feasibility and optimal system requirements
- Prepare design reviews to communicate expectations to hardware, software, test, and manufacturing teams
- Forecast staffing needs, define roles, and interview candidates to ensure the optical payloads team is properly staffed
- Mentor engineers to increase capability and autonomy in optical system development
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in physics, optics, computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or related technical field
- 8+ years of experience in design, manufacture, and test of optical systems
- Experience designing and deploying optical systems across the full product lifecycle: requirements generation, design, analysis, tolerance, procurement, build, alignment, test, deployment, and operation
Nice to Have
- Familiarity with high-volume manufacturing, design for manufacturability, supply chain management, and productionization of assembly and test processes
- Experience conducting experimental research, data analysis, and visualizing complex datasets
- Understanding of failure modes of electrical, mechanical, and optical systems in space environments
Compensation and Benefits
- Base salary: $110,000 to $280,000 plus equity
- Salary based on knowledge, skills, education, and experience level
- Comprehensive benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, and paid parental leave
Requirements
This role requires access to information controlled by U.S. export control regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR). You must be a U.S. Person as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee) or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.