---
title: 'Director – Radar Payloads at Kapta Space'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/director-radar-payloads-kapta-space-redmond-04k6v82npmj7'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Director – Radar Payloads at Kapta Space

- **Company:** Kapta Space
- **Location:** Redmond, WA
- **Compensation:** $215k–$275k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-25
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/kapta-space/56539b08-402c-42f4-9a5d-33f3c7e33e7b

## Job description

Kapta Space, a VC-funded early-stage startup in Seattle, WA, is breaking new ground in Geospatial Intelligence.  Our technology centers around a proven, scalable electronically-steered radar for sophisticated spaceborne applications such as earth observation using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) techniques, as well as enabling advanced defense missions such as target tracking on the ground and in the air.

## Role

- Own radar payload architecture and technical baseline across the electronically-steered aperture, RF front-ends, digital/FPGA processing, timing, power, thermal/mechanical, and control electronics.
- Lead full payload lifecycle execution from requirements and architecture through design reviews, prototype builds, qualification/acceptance, AI&T, spacecraft integration, and on-orbit checkout.
- Recruit, lead, and mentor a multidisciplinary payload team; set priorities, staffing, technical ownership, expectations, and a culture of accountability and innovation.
- Partner with Systems Engineering, radar algorithms, software/firmware, GNC, spacecraft, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and operations to achieve mission-level performance.
- Own payload V&V, calibration, and flight-readiness strategy, including RF/beam performance, timing, reliability, environmental qualification, and end-to-end radar testing.
- With the Program Management Office, own integrated plans, budgets, schedules, technical milestones, risks/opportunities, and recovery actions to meet cost, schedule, and performance commitments.
- Drive manufacturability, testability, reliability, cost, and production readiness; lead the transition from prototype builds to repeatable manufacturing and acceptance testing.
- Serve as the payload technical focal point for customers, suppliers, subcontractors, spacecraft partners, and test facilities; lead reviews, trades, issue resolution, and supplier performance.

Required Qualifications

- BS in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related STEM discipline; MS or PhD preferred.
- 10+ years of experience developing complex RF, radar, communications, or space payload hardware, including flight or mission-critical systems.
- Demonstrated experience as a senior/principal technical leader owning the architecture and delivery of complex multidisciplinary payload or RF systems through major lifecycle milestones.
- 6+ years of engineering leadership/management experience leading multidisciplinary teams, including staffing, mentoring, performance management, and execution accountability.
- Deep technical expertise in radar system architecture and performance, RF/microwave systems, electronically-steered/phased-array antennas, RF front-ends, high-speed digital/FPGA processing, mixed-signal electronics, timing/synchronization, and power electronics.
- Strong system-level understanding of embedded firmware/software, PCB design, signal/power integrity, EMI/EMC, mechanical/thermal design, and spacecraft electrical/mechanical interfaces.
- Proven success taking complex flight hardware from architecture and design through integration, environmental qualification, acceptance testing, manufacturing handoff, and spacecraft/field deployment.
- Demonstrated ownership of technical performance, cost, schedule, risk, resource planning, supplier execution, and cross-functional delivery for complex engineering programs.
- Excellent communication skills, with ability to clearly present technical findings and collaborate effectively across engineering functions.
- Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret/SCI security clearance

Bonus if candidates have experience and skills in the following areas:

- Experience with electronically-steered or phased-array radar systems, including beam-steering, calibration approaches and general space reliability.
- Familiarity with space-qualified component selection, radiation-tolerant design, COTS-to-space qualification, reliability engineering, and fault-tolerant payload architectures.
- Familiarity with radar system modeling and simulation, RF/antenna tools, radar/link budgets, signal-processing performance analysis, and thermal/structural analyses.
- Experience planning and executing qualification and acceptance programs for space hardware and familiarity with applicable standards such as SMC-S-016, GSFC-STD-7000, and MIL-STD-461.
- Experience in defense contracting environments or ISR/target-tracking radar missions.
- Prior work in small, fast-iteration aerospace teams.

Concerned you do not meet all the requirements? Not a problem - please apply even if you do not meet all these criteria.

U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Kapta Employees must be U.S. citizens, lawful U.S. permanent residents (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or Commerce as applicable.

Kapta Space is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe that diversity drives innovation, strengthens our team, and broadens our capabilities. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply.

Kapta Space does not engage with external recruiters or agencies without prior written agreement. If you are a recruiter (individual or agency) and wish to engage with Kapta Space for talent acquisition, please email hr@kaptaspace.com.

## About Kapta Space

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Kapta Space develops next-generation spaceborne radar systems using metasurface-based electronically steered antennas to provide persistent geospatial intelligence and defense tracking capabilities.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage)
- **Headquarters**: Seattle, Washington, USA
- **Founded**: 2023 (company work began in 2022)
- **Founders**: Milton Perque (CEO) and Adam Bily (CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Spaceborne radar, geospatial intelligence, defense technology
- **Target customers**: U.S. defense agencies (DARPA, military), satellite operators, commercial data aggregators, and industries such as mining, energy, and transportation
- **Mission**: "Arm our partners with persistent and actionable insights on a global scale."

## Products & Services
- **Metasurface Electronically Steered Array (ESA) Radar**: A low-cost, energy-efficient spaceborne radar platform that uses ultra-thin metamaterial surfaces to shape electromagnetic waves, enabling synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging and ground moving target indication (GMTI).
- **InSAR Change Detection**: Interferometric SAR data providing millimeter-scale 3D change detection for commercial applications in mining, energy, and transportation.
- **Defense Tracking Solutions**: Spaceborne radar for tracking custody of mobile land and sea targets, moving target indication, and resilience against electronic warfare (EW) threats.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding of $5M in seed (2025) plus a $1.8M DARPA SBIR contract; CB Insights lists a total of $5.5M (conflicting reports on total funding amount)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: MetaVC Partners (lead, backed by Bill Gates), Entrada Ventures, Blue Collective; DARPA as a government partner
- **Growth Signals**: Exited stealth mode in February 2025; secured security clearances for classified defense contracts; plans in-orbit demonstration with 2–3 satellites; actively seeking additional private and military investment.

## Competitive Advantages
- Proven, scalable electronically steered metasurface antenna architecture that is cheaper and more energy-efficient than traditional Active Electronically Steered Arrays (AESAs)
- Strong defense credentials: DARPA contract, security clearances, and deep founder expertise from Echodyne, Apple, and Astranis
- Unique capability to maintain continuous tracking of moving targets from space (GMTI), a historically elusive defense challenge
- Operational resilience against electronic warfare threats, enabling effective operations in contested environments

## Strategic Focus
- Rapidly transition technology from ground demonstrations to in-orbit validation
- Build and launch a constellation of at least 2–3 satellites to demonstrate moving-target custody handoff
- Expand into additional defense markets: maritime domain awareness, space-based ballistic missile defense, and space domain awareness
- Form partnerships with mission providers, launch services, and ground operations to accelerate deployment

## Why Work Here
- On-site work environment in Seattle, WA
- Small, focused team (~10 employees) with direct impact on cutting-edge space radar technology
- Opportunity to work on high-stakes defense and national security applications
- Early-stage startup culture with close collaboration between engineering and leadership
- No specific perks or remote policy publicly listed; candidates are encouraged to join the Kapta Talent Community for updates

## Sources
1. [kaptaspace.com](https://www.kaptaspace.com/)
2. [spacenews.com](https://spacenews.com/kapta-space-exits-stealth-mode-with-bold-plans-for-space-based-target-tracking/)
3. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/kapta-space)
4. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/kapta-space)
5. [jobs.lever.co](https://jobs.lever.co/kapta-space)

## Other roles at Kapta Space

- [Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-embedded-firmware-engineer-kapta-space-redmond-vrzwhrz316mk) — Redmond, WA
- [Senior Technical Program Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-technical-program-manager-kapta-space-redmond-2ekfnxqq1gc2) — Redmond, WA
- [Director of Hardware Engineering – Spaceborne Radar Systems](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-hardware-engineering-spaceborne-radar-systems-kapta-space-redmond-xdxwcbtyvbab) — Redmond, WA
- [Senior FPGA Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-fpga-engineer-kapta-space-redmond-gbkfcc21z9v6) — Redmond, WA
- [Senior Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-engineer-kapta-space-redmond-9cdppynk9dv9) — Redmond, WA
- [Principal Antenna Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-antenna-engineer-kapta-space-redmond-4etxpxgfqyq1) — Redmond, WA
- [Principal Radar Engineer- MTI](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-radar-engineer-mti-kapta-space-redmond-06mrkr5btv14) — Redmond, WA
- [Principal RF/Microwave Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-rf-microwave-engineer-kapta-space-redmond-wwh7hf2d9m4t) — Redmond, WA
- [Director of Manufacturing – Spaceborne Radar Payloads](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-manufacturing-spaceborne-radar-payloads-kapta-space-redmond-7kfkg0kcppk1) — Redmond, WA
- [Senior PCB Designer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-pcb-designer-kapta-space-redmond-7d8899d9qdnt) — Redmond, WA