---
title: 'Mechanical Design Engineer (Propulsion) at K2 Space'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-design-engineer-propulsion-k2-space-los-angeles-e5fefqqseryg'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-06'
---

# Mechanical Design Engineer (Propulsion) at K2 Space 

- **Company:** K2 Space 
- **Location:** Los Angeles, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-08-24
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-06
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/k2spacecorporation/jobs/5400313008

## Job 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.

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 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.

## The Role

You will own the success of mechanical structures and mechanisms used for a propulsion system that will be the highest-powered electric propulsion system ever flown and unlock new mission concepts and increase our access to deep space. As part of a small multidisciplinary team, your role will involve mechanical design, development, build, test, and analysis of the satellite’s plasma propulsion system and all related hardware. In your first 6 months, you will define product requirements, create initial concepts and trades, perform preliminary and detailed analysis, define development test campaigns, and produce development hardware. In your first year, you will validate your designs through prototype iterations and build and qualify flight hardware. In your first two years you will fly your hardware in space while directly supporting production and integration.

## Responsibilities

- Own the mechanical design of propulsion system hardware including propulsion modules, critical thruster components, the propellant management system, avionics box design, propulsion secondary structures, and potentially tank development
- Validate your designs through the entire lifecycle from concept to production, and successful flight demonstrations
- Generate 3D models, fully dimensioned drawings, and interface control documents
- Perform analysis on data from testing hardware, iterating designs, and critical go/no-go calls on hardware performance
- Develop and execute component and system-level test plans
- Manage key propulsion vendors and suppliers through hardware delivery
- Continually own and refine sub-system deliverable schedules throughout development and production

## Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline
- 3+ years of experience with mechanical and/or electromechanical design and analysis
- Experience with CAD or FEA software packages
- Experience with the practical application of GD&T
- Demonstrated proficiency in the principles of mechanical design, materials, thermodynamics, and fluids
- Demonstrated ability to personally design, build, and test hardware from a blank canvas, including troubleshooting and iterating designs based on downstream feedback

## Nice to Have

- Demonstrated ability to own mechanical hardware or systems within an integrated engineering team outside a classroom setting
- Experience in advanced propulsion technologies, including high-performance engines, in-space propulsion, and propulsion system integration
- Experience designing, building, and testing mechanical assemblies for aerospace applications (satellite mechanical systems, payloads, launch vehicles, propulsion systems, and/or aircraft structures and mechanisms)
- Deep experience in the development and qualification of high-pressure and low-pressure fluidic components, this may include flight feed system or pressurized tanks
- Demonstrated understanding of structural analysis and failure modes of complex mechanical systems in space environments and operations
- Experience with production tooling or product design in either prototype or high-volume environments

Compensation and Benefits:

- Base salary range for this role is $100,000 - $140,000 + equity in the company
- Salary 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](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/22/120.15) 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.

## About K2 Space 

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: K2 Space builds the largest, highest-power satellite platforms on orbit, enabling previously impossible missions across LEO, MEO, GEO, and cislunar space.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series C, $440.53M total raised)
- **Headquarters**: Torrance, California, United States (Los Angeles area)
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Neel Kunjur (Co-Founder, CTO) and Karan Kunjur (Co-Founder, CEO) – both SpaceX veterans

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Aerospace & Defense – satellite manufacturing and space platforms
- **Target customers**: Government/military (DoD, Space Force), commercial satellite operators (e.g., SES), and mission integrators requiring high-power, large-format spacecraft
- **Mission statement**: "Build bigger" – scale changes what’s possible; bigger satellites deliver more power, mass on orbit, and resilience at lower cost.

## Products & Services
- **Mega Class Satellite Platform**: A high-power (20 kW), high-mass (3,000 kg payload) satellite bus designed for mass production and vertical integration. Suitable for LEO, MEO, GEO, and cislunar missions. Built in-house with radiation-tolerant architectures, redundant avionics, and high-Δv propulsion.
- **Launch Stacking**: By stacking 10 Mega Class satellites per launch vehicle, K2 maximizes power to orbit (200 kW per launch), drastically reducing per-satellite launch costs.
- **End-to-End Mission Services**: Design, build, integrate, and operate custom satellite missions for defense, communications, and sensing applications.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding raised – $440.53M (Series C of $250M raised ~6 months ago, per CB Insights)
- **Notable Investors**: Alpine Space Ventures, Altimeter Capital, Lightspeed, T. Rowe Price, Redpoint Ventures, and 20+ others
- **Notable Partners/Contracts**: $30M military contract for a “Mega” satellite mission; partnership with SES to develop next-generation MEO network
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 106% YoY to 186 employees; active job postings up 391% YoY (172 open roles); plans for a three-orbit demonstration mission; Pentagon’s former space policy chief joined as Head of Strategy

## Competitive Advantages
- **Size & Power Advantage**: Mega Class platform delivers 10x the power (20 kW vs. 2 kW) and significantly more mass than typical constellation satellites, enabling higher-performance payloads.
- **Vertical Integration**: 80% of each satellite built in-house – drives reliability, accelerates production, and enables rapid iteration.
- **Resilient Design**: Radiation-tolerant architectures, redundant avionics, and high-Δv propulsion allow operation in the harshest orbits (GEO, MEO, LEO, cislunar).
- **Cost Efficiency**: Stacking 10 satellites per launch vehicle dramatically lowers per-unit launch cost, making large satellites economically viable.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale Production**: Series C funding directed toward scaling manufacturing capacity and building out the Torrance factory.
- **Three-Orbit Demonstration**: Planning a mission to demonstrate capabilities across LEO, MEO, and GEO – a key milestone for customer validation.
- **Defense & Commercial Expansion**: Pursuing military contracts (DoD, Space Force) and commercial partnerships (SES) to anchor long-term revenue.
- **Talent Acquisition**: Aggressively hiring across avionics, mechanical, GNC, production, and program management roles to support rapid growth.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: "First principles thinking" and a bias toward building big, ambitious hardware. The team includes many SpaceX, Anduril, and NASA JPL alumni.
- **Work Environment**: Fast-paced startup with a focus on vertical integration and hands-on engineering. Office in Torrance, CA (Los Angeles area). Some roles (e.g., GNC) are remote-eligible.
- **Growth Opportunity**: 106% headcount growth in the past year, 172+ open positions – strong career advancement potential.
- **Perks & Mission**: Work on the largest satellites in the industry, directly impacting national security and next-generation space infrastructure. "Make previously impossible missions possible."
- **Notable**: Active job postings include roles in avionics, mechanical engineering, production, RF payload, dynamics, and program management (TS/SCI clearance may be required for some roles).

## Sources
1. [K2 Space Official Website](https://www.k2space.com/)
2. [K2 Space Careers Page (Greenhouse)](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/k2spacecorporation)
3. [LinkedIn – K2 Space Corporation](https://www.linkedin.com/company/k2-space)
4. [CB Insights – K2 Space Profile](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/k2-space)
5. [Bloomberg Technology – K2 Space Raises $110M Series B](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-07/k2-space-raises-110-million-to-scale-up-satellite-production) (referenced in search results)
6. [SES Partners with K2 Space – News Article](https://www.k2space.com/news) (referenced in search results)

## Other roles at K2 Space 

- [Counsel](https://feeny.ai/job/counsel-k2-space-los-angeles-69vwbk2ayych) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Senior Supplier Development Engineer, Avionics](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-supplier-development-engineer-avionics-k2-space-los-angeles-mnsj4dx3h39e) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Expeditor](https://feeny.ai/job/expeditor-k2-space-los-angeles-34qk8yx1d34y) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Platform Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/platform-engineer-k2-space-los-angeles-39vvkqk80f2z) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Mission Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/mission-engineer-k2-space-los-angeles-hprwdm8mm4bg) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Electrical Engineering Intern – Summer 2027](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineering-intern-summer-2027-k2-space-los-angeles-y2q7y7t03n7p) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Avionics Systems/Test Engineering Intern – Summer 2027](https://feeny.ai/job/avionics-systems-test-engineering-intern-summer-2027-k2-space-los-angeles-rzkkcfvd4bzx) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Software Engineering Intern – Summer 2027](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineering-intern-summer-2027-k2-space-los-angeles-a0ppmzry10g6) — Los Angeles, CA
- [RF Engineering Intern – Summer 2027](https://feeny.ai/job/rf-engineering-intern-summer-2027-k2-space-los-angeles-x8wma25njntr) — Los Angeles, CA
- [GNC Engineering Intern – Summer 2027](https://feeny.ai/job/gnc-engineering-intern-summer-2027-k2-space-los-angeles-kf3t0aek10b7) — Los Angeles, CA