Space Kinetic
Space Kinetic has an ambitious vision, and the only way we can realize it is by building an exceptional team. Fundamentally, we care about four key values for Space Kinetic team members: intellectual horsepower, curiosity, grit, and commitment to the mission. We are always looking for highly talented team members who feel a strong calling to work in national security, know how to roll their sleeves up, and maintain a curiosity and open-mindedness that allows for agility and positivity when working on complex problems.
Working at Space Kinetic is challenging. But if you join our team, not only will you work on solving novel and exciting technical challenges that break new ground in space engineering, but you’ll also have a real opportunity to help define the next era of space operations. If pushing out into the frontier calls to you, we want to talk.
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Chief Engineer
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A New Paradigm For Space Operations.
What You’ll Do:
The Chief Engineer at Space Kinetic will be a highly experienced and visionary engineering professional with extensive experience in successfully leading complex space programs from concept to mission operations and have demonstrated technical excellence in space system mission design and supporting development of space hardware from System Concept, System Requirements to Technology Readiness Level 9. This is a critical leadership role responsible for providing critical mission planning, requirements definition, technical oversight and supporting all engineering and programmatic functions within the company in a fast-paced start-up agile environment. The Chief Systems Engineer will develop and execute the overall payload mission, engineering, and production requirements in line with the company’s goals and objectives.
Core Responsibilities:
1. Overall Technical Authority
• Leads the space system’s architecture and major design decisions
• Balances performance, SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power and Cost), and risk
• Signs off on design maturity and readiness at every review (PDR, CDR, TRR, etc.)
2. Systems Engineering Leadership
• Ensures all subsystems (GNC, power, comms, propulsion, structures, thermal, avionics, software, payload, etc.) integrate correctly
• Owns system requirements: flow-down, allocation, verification, validation
3. Mission Performance & Safety
• Ensures the Space Kinetic system meets mission performance (pointing, power budget, data throughput, lifetime, survivability)
• Oversee environmental qualification (vibration, shock, TVAC, EMI, radiation considerations)
What It Takes:
- B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
- 7+ years of experience in leadership positions of satellite systems development, integration, and operation.
- Ability and willingness to obtain a security clearance
- Have successfully flown two spacecrafts from concept to mission operations.
What We’d Love:
- Master's degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
- Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding startup atmosphere
- Passion for advancing the commercial and National Security space industry
Where You’ll Be:
- The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. Domestic travel may be required (up to ~20% of the year).
What We Offer:
- Equity-Based Compensation
- Highly Competitive PTO and Holiday Calendar
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
- Unique Performance-Based Bonus Structure
- Health and Wellness Stipend
- Commuter Benefits
ITAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Space 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.
The 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.
Ready to apply?
Apply to Space Kinetic
Flight Software Engineer
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A New Paradigm For Space Operations.
Who We Are:
Space Kinetic is a cleared, venture-backed startup focused on addressing urgent national security priorities. Our goal is to deliver a suite of asymmetric capabilities for space superiority and missile defense leveraging our proprietary electromechanical deployment system, which enables the rapid deployment of low-cost payloads through space without firing a thruster. Space Kinetic is currently assembling its TRL-5 prototype. Our goal is to leverage this platform to provide the United States with a new tool for securing the space domain & catalyzing the emerging space economy.
What You’ll Do:
The Flight Software Engineer will design, develop, and maintain the critical software systems that control and operate our satellites, ensuring reliable performance and mission success in the challenging environment of space. Integrate and test software in simulation, flight replica, flight, and hardware-in-the-loop environments. Work with multiple engineering teams to establish software requirements and design. Partner with various engineering teams to commission newly launched satellites
What It Takes:
- Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Engineering.
- 2- 3 years of experience developing embedded or real-time software for space, aerospace, robotics, or mission-critical systems.
- Knowledge of software development through all phases of the system lifecycle—from requirements through flight operations.
- Entry level to Intermediate proficiency in C/C++, with working knowledge of Python or scripting languages for automation and testing.
- Familiarity with RTOS, bare-metal programming, or Linux-based embedded systems.
- Basic understanding of software reliability, deterministic timing, concurrency, and resource management in constrained environments.
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder).
- Applicants selected will be subject to a security investigation and may need to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information; Ability to maintain or obtain a Government Security Clearance is required.
What We’d Love:
- Experience with flight software frameworks (e.g., NASA cFS, F’ FPrime, or custom architectures).
- Familiarity with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and interface control documentation.
- Knowledge of space communication protocols (CCSDS, SpaceWire, MIL-STD-1553, etc.).
*Our vision is unique, and so is the team we’re building. If you’re driven to succeed in this role, even if your background doesn’t fully align with every qualification, we want your application.
Where You’ll Be:
- The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. Domestic travel may be required (up to ~20% of the year).
What We Offer:
- Equity-Based Compensation
- Highly Competitive PTO and Holiday Calendar
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
- Unique Performance-Based Bonus Structure
- Health and Wellness Stipend
- Commuter Benefits
ITAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Space 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.
The 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.
Ready to apply?
Apply to Space Kinetic
Lead Flight Software Engineer
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A New Paradigm For Space Operations.
What You’ll Do:
The Lead Flight Software Engineer will be required to work in a fast-paced prototyping environment with an aggressive schedule toward flight and should have experience and a general understanding of spaceflight payloads. In this position, you will be responsible for low-level and high-level software in Space Kinetic’s products through all phases of the development process. As a Lead, you will be responsible for software designs from concept through production, including product roadmaps, block diagrams, detailed design and coding, analysis, test and qualification. The Lead Software Engineer will serve as the technical leader for the development, integration, and validation of Space Kinetic's electromechanical system. This role is responsible for the architecture, design, and implementation of mission-critical software that enables spacecraft control, autonomy, communication, and safety. The ideal candidate possesses deep experience in embedded real-time systems, software reliability, and spacecraft operations.
- Lead the design and development of space Kinetic flight software architecture, including guidance, navigation, control (GNC), telemetry, command, and fault management systems.
- Define software requirements, interfaces, and verification strategies in coordination with systems, electrical, and mission engineering teams.
- Develop robust, real-time, and fault-tolerant software using C/C++ and/or Rust in embedded or RTOS environments.
- Perform software design reviews, code reviews, and verification activities to ensure safety, reliability, and performance compliance with space flight standards (e.g., NASA NPR, ECSS, DO-178C).
- Mentor and guide software engineers through technical leadership, code quality enforcement, and system-level integration.
- Support spacecraft-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), and flight simulation testing environments.
- Contribute to continuous improvement of software development processes, tools, and best practices across the engineering organization.
- Participate in mission readiness reviews, anomaly resolution, and on-orbit software updates and maintenance.
- Experience with simulation environments and ground software integration.
- Excellent leadership, collaboration, and communication skills across multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong problem-solving ability and technical judgment under mission-critical constraints.
- Passion for advancing space technologies and contributing to successful missions.
What It Takes:
- Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Engineering.
- 5 - 10 years of experience developing embedded or real-time software for space, aerospace, robotics, or mission-critical systems.
- Proven experience leading software development through all phases of the system lifecycle—from requirements through flight operations.
- Strong proficiency in C/C++, with working knowledge of Python or scripting languages for automation and testing.
- Familiarity with RTOS, bare-metal programming, or Linux-based embedded systems.
- Deep understanding of software reliability, deterministic timing, concurrency, and resource management in constrained environments.
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder).
- Applicants selected will be subject to a security investigation and may need to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information; Ability to maintain or obtain a Government Security Clearance is required.
What We’d Love:
- Experience with flight software frameworks (e.g., NASA cFS, F’ FPrime, or custom architectures).
- Familiarity with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and interface control documentation.
- Knowledge of space communication protocols (CCSDS, SpaceWire, MIL-STD-1553, etc.).
-
The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. Domestic travel may be required (up to ~20% of the year).
-
Equity-Based Compensation
-
Highly Competitive PTO and Holiday Calendar
-
Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
-
Unique Performance-Based Bonus Structure
-
Health and Wellness Stipend
-
Commuter Benefits
ITAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Space 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.
The 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.
Ready to apply?
Apply to Space Kinetic
Electrical Technician/ Aerospace Wire Harness Builder
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A New Paradigm For Space Operations.
Who We Are:
Space Kinetic is a cleared, venture-backed startup focused on addressing urgent national security priorities. Our goal is to deliver a suite of asymmetric capabilities for space superiority and missile defense leveraging our proprietary electromechanical deployment system, which enables the rapid deployment of low-cost payloads through space without firing a thruster. Space Kinetic is currently assembling its TRL-5 prototype. Our goal is to leverage this platform to provide the United States with a new tool for securing the space domain & catalyzing the emerging space economy.
What You’ll Do:
We are seeking an Electrical Technician / Aerospace Wire Harness Builder to support electrical assembly, wire harness fabrication, and integration of prototype aerospace hardware in a fast-paced development environment. This role will work closely with engineering and production teams to build high-quality harnesses, cable assemblies, and electrical systems used in development, testing, and flight-related hardware.
For those who dream of changing the Universe, a career with Space Kinetic is the place to start.
What It Takes:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering degree from an accredited college or university.
- Build wire harnesses, cable assemblies, and electrical subassemblies to aerospace-quality standards
- Read and interpret wiring diagrams, schematics, pinouts, and assembly drawings
- Cut, strip, crimp, label, route, terminate, and secure wires and connectors
- Assemble and route harnesses for prototype hardware, test articles, and integration setups
- Perform continuity checks, inspections, and basic troubleshooting of harnesses and electrical assemblies
- Support electrical integration during hardware assembly and test activities
- Maintain proper labeling, documentation, and revision control of electrical builds
- Follow cleanliness, organization, and quality standards during assembly
- Work closely with engineering to implement updates and design changes
- Support electrical checkout, bench testing, and troubleshooting during integration and test activities
- Assist with prototype and flight hardware preparation for test campaigns
- Support verification of harness integrity before installation
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder).
What We’d Love:
- Ability to work with minimal direction or support and to learn quickly; strong analytical skills; creative and innovative thinking; detail-oriented; calm under pressure; commitment to follow-through; enthusiastic with a talent for motivating others; receptive to criticism and open to others' ideas; and effective in written communication.
- Crimping, connector assembly, and basic soldering
- Continuity testing and electrical inspection
- Familiarity with prototype aerospace hardware
- Experience working in development or low-volume production environments
- Ability to support fast design changes in a startup setting
- Curiosity for testing in-space operation
- Passion for the commercial and government space industry is a strong plus
Where You’ll Be:
- The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. This role is supporting prototype aerospace hardware development, integration, and testing in our El Segundo facility.
Compensation: $36.00 - $50.00/hourly
The hourly 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.
ITAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Space 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.
The 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.
Ready to apply?
Apply to Space Kinetic
Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Engineer
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A New Paradigm For Space Operations.
- Lead architect responsible for GNC design for space applications
- Owns GNC subsystem level requirements, pointing budget and alignments
- Design of algorithms for FSW development
- Creates / Contributes to ground tools for constellation management
- Owns GNC component level hardware trades and selection
- Owns GNC level Verification and Validation (V&V) activities
- Conducts GNC design analysis and Monte Carlo simulations
- Supports / conducts hardware in the loop verification in system testbeds
- Support internal and external design reviews
- Works with senior management for GNC schedule and key milestones.
What It Takes:
- Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering along with 5+ years of GNC experience.
- Prior Spacecraft and Satellite Development and Operations experience.
- Experience working with a different engineering departments and teams within the organization.
- Prior experience directly interfacing with aerospace customers in the commercial or government sectors.
- Experience in modeling and simulation.
- Previous schedule management experience.
- Experience developing blended attitude solutions from a variety of sensor data.
- Previous Flight Software development and test experience.
- End to End project lifecycle experience.
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder).
- Applicants selected will be subject to a security investigation and may need to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information; Ability to maintain or obtain a Government Security Clearance is required.
-
The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. Domestic travel may be required (up to ~20% of the year).
-
Equity-Based Compensation
-
Highly Competitive PTO and Holiday Calendar
-
Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
-
Unique Performance-Based Bonus Structure
-
Health and Wellness Stipend
-
Commuter Benefits
ITAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Space 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.
The 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.
Ready to apply?
Apply to Space Kinetic
Electrical Engineer
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A New Paradigm For Space Operations.
Position Overview:
The Electrical Engineer will play a critical role in designing, building, and maturing prototypes for Space Kinetic’s core technology. You will support the team in refining the electrical architecture of the current prototype and driving the system closer to a flight-ready configuration with each iteration. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys taking concepts from schematic to hardware, solving complex electrical challenges, and working closely with mechanical and manufacturing teams to bring cutting-edge space hardware to life. We are exploring electrical engineering opportunities in New Mexico and welcome qualified candidates interested in supporting innovative aerospace programs to connect with us for potential future roles.
What You’ll Do:
- Design, develop, and build electrical prototypes for Space Kinetic’s core technology.
- Refine and finalize and the current prototype's electrical design to support all phases of prototype maturation.
- Undertake and complete circuit design tasks, generate detailed schematics, and perform component selection aligned with environmental and system requirements.
- Apply detailed tolerancing, design-for-manufacture principles, and thorough documentation across all electrical prototype phases.
- Support PCB layout design and coordinate with external vendors for fabrication and assembly of PCB components.
- Collaborate closely with the Space Kinetic manufacturing and engineering team to integrate electrical systems into mechanical assemblies.
- Verify and validate your electrical designs through testing, troubleshooting, debugging, and iteration to improve system reliability and performance.
- Actively participate in design reviews, contribute to system-level engineering discussions, and ensure the electrical subsystem progresses toward flight-readiness.
- Support the creation and maintenance of electrical documentation, including BOMs, wiring diagrams, interface control documents (ICDs), and test procedures.
- Ensure each design iteration moves the system closer to a flight-ready prototype aligned with Space Kinetic’s 2-year flight demonstration goal.
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematic) field.
- A minimum of 3–5 years of hands-on electrical engineering experience, ideally involving prototype development.
- Experience designing three phase field-oriented controllers for bidirectional
motor drives. - Proficiency in circuit design, schematic creation, and component selection.
- Experience working with Schematic / PCB design tools (e.g., Altium).
- Demonstrated experience building and testing electrical systems or prototypes.
- Strong understanding of electronics fundamentals, wiring practices, and system integration.
- Ability to troubleshoot circuits, debug hardware, and iterate rapidly.
- Experience collaborating with vendors for PCB fabrication and assembly.
- Excellent documentation, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skill
- Ability to build and maintain a network of talented individuals. Prioritizes organizational and planning skills.
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder).
- Ability to maintain or obtain a Government Security Clearance.
- Experience developing hardware for aerospace, defense, robotics, or similarly rigorous applications.
- Familiarity with design-for-manufacture (DFM), design-for-test (DFT), and tolerance analysis.
- Knowledge of embedded systems, field oriented controls, microcontrollers, sensors, and power electronics.
- Experience with environmental or functional testing of electrical systems.
- Hands-on experience with lab equipment (oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, logic analyzers).
- Ability to work in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving requirements.
-
The position will be onsite at our Albuquerque, New Mexico facility.
What We Offer:
- Competitive Base Salary + Equity-Based Compensation
- Highly Competitive PTO and Holiday Calendar
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
- Unique Performance-Based Bonus Structure
- Health and Wellness Stipend
- Commuter Benefits
ITAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Space 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.
Ready to apply?
Apply to Space Kinetic
Senior Mechanical Design Engineer
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A New Paradigm For Space Operations.
What You’ll Do:
The Senior Mechanical Design Engineer will provide guidance for design and prototype builds for the Space Kinetic core technology to achieve our mission of a flight demo within the next 2 years in a fast-paced startup environment. Design and develop system and subsystem assemblies, mechanisms and moving assemblies including linkages, gears, cams, actuators, and precision motion systems. Perform mechanism design, tolerance analysis, and kinematic studies to ensure reliable operation. Create 3D CAD models, assemblies, and engineering drawings using tools such as SolidWorks, Creo, CATIA or NX. Support the mechanical simulations and FEA teams creating step files, simplified reps and volumes to assist with the modeling to validate strength, fatigue, and functional performance. Design and develop prototype assemblies and test mechanisms to validate functionality and operational stability. Work with and support cross-functional teams including simulation, electrical, manufacturing, and systems engineering. Support design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) initiatives to drive down cost and schedule. Prepare technical documentation, test plans, and support design reviews.
Key Responsibilities:
Mechanism Development
- Design and develop space-rated mechanisms, including:
- Release and separation systems
- Motorized actuators and gear trains
- Payload pointing mechanisms
- Precision robotic or kinematic mechanisms
- Mechanism torque and friction calculations
- Select appropriate space-qualified materials, lubricants, bearings, and coatings.
- Support finite element analysis (FEA) and mechanism performance simulations.
Prototyping & Testing
- Support development of hardware design and builds as well as prototype testing.
- Investigate functional test anomalies and implement corrective design changes.
- Lead mechanical support for environmental testing, including:
- Thermal Vacuum (TVAC)
- Random vibration
- Shock testing
- Deployment testing
Manufacturing & Integration
- Work closely with manufacturing and producibility teams to ensure designs are producible and testable.
- Support assembly, integration, and test (AIT) of spacecraft hardware.
- Provide hands-on support during payload integration and spacecraft assembly.
Documentation & Reviews
- Follow design and hardware I&T processes
- Generate and maintain engineering documentation, including:
- Mechanical design packages
- Interface Control Documents (ICDs)
- Assembly procedures
- Test plans and reports
- Present designs during major program reviews:
- SRR (System Requirements Review)
- PDR (Preliminary Design Review)
- CDR (Critical Design Review)
- TRR (Test Readiness Review)
What It Takes:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
- 5+ years of mechanical design experience with focus on mechanisms.
- Strong knowledge of:
- Kinematics and dynamics of mechanisms
- Gear systems, cams, linkages, springs
- Bearings and power transmission components
- Proficiency with 3D CAD software (SolidWorks, Creo, CATIA, or NX).
- Experience with GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis.
- Familiarity with prototype development and testing
- Ability to work with minimal direction or support and to learn quickly; strong analytical skills; creative and innovative thinking; detail-oriented; calm under pressure; commitment to follow-through; enthusiastic with a talent for motivating others; receptive to criticism and open to others' ideas; and effective in written communication.
- Ability to build and maintain a network of talented individuals. Prioritizes organizational and planning skills.
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder).
- Ability to maintain or obtain Government Security Clearance.
What We’d Love:
- Experience designing deployable space mechanisms.
- Knowledge of space-rated materials, lubricants, and bearings.
- Experience with spacecraft structures and payload integration.
- Familiarity with NASA or DoD spacecraft development standards.
- Hands-on experience in prototype builds and mechanism troubleshooting.
- Strong understanding of mechanism kinematics and dynamics
- Experience designing high-reliability aerospace hardware
- Ability to work in cross-disciplinary engineering teams
- Strong problem-solving and root-cause investigation skills
- Experience working in fast-paced spaceflight development programs
Where You’ll Be:
The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo CA . Domestic travel may be required (up to ~20% of the year).
What We Offer:
- Competitive Base Salary + Equity-Based Compensation
- Highly Competitive PTO and Holiday Calendar
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
- Unique Performance-Based Bonus Structure
- Health and Wellness Stipend
- Commuter Benefits
ITAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Space 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.
The annual base salary for this role is currently $109,000 - $150,000. 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.
The 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.
Ready to apply?
Apply to Space Kinetic
Electrical Engineer
Share this job
A New Paradigm For Space Operations.
Position Overview:
The Electrical Engineer will play a critical role in designing, building, and maturing prototypes for Space Kinetic’s core technology. You will support the team in refining the electrical architecture of the current prototype and driving the system closer to a flight-ready configuration with each iteration. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys taking concepts from schematic to hardware, solving complex electrical challenges, and working closely with mechanical and manufacturing teams to bring cutting-edge space hardware to life.
What You’ll Do:
- Design, develop, and build electrical prototypes for Space Kinetic’s core technology.
- Refine and finalize and the current prototype's electrical design to support all phases of prototype maturation.
- Undertake and complete circuit design tasks, generate detailed schematics, and perform component selection aligned with environmental and system requirements.
- Apply detailed tolerancing, design-for-manufacture principles, and thorough documentation across all electrical prototype phases.
- Support PCB layout design and coordinate with external vendors for fabrication and assembly of PCB components.
- Collaborate closely with the Space Kinetic manufacturing and engineering team to integrate electrical systems into mechanical assemblies.
- Verify and validate your electrical designs through testing, troubleshooting, debugging, and iteration to improve system reliability and performance.
- Actively participate in design reviews, contribute to system-level engineering discussions, and ensure the electrical subsystem progresses toward flight-readiness.
- Support the creation and maintenance of electrical documentation, including BOMs, wiring diagrams, interface control documents (ICDs), and test procedures.
- Ensure each design iteration moves the system closer to a flight-ready prototype aligned with Space Kinetic’s 2-year flight demonstration goal.
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematic) field.
- A minimum of 3–5 years of hands-on electrical engineering experience, ideally involving prototype development.
- Experience designing three phase field-oriented controllers for bidirectional
motor drives. - Proficiency in circuit design, schematic creation, and component selection.
- Experience working with Schematic / PCB design tools (e.g., Altium).
- Demonstrated experience building and testing electrical systems or prototypes.
- Strong understanding of electronics fundamentals, wiring practices, and system integration.
- Ability to troubleshoot circuits, debug hardware, and iterate rapidly.
- Experience collaborating with vendors for PCB fabrication and assembly.
- Excellent documentation, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skill
- Ability to build and maintain a network of talented individuals. Prioritizes organizational and planning skills.
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder).
- Ability to maintain or obtain a Government Security Clearance.
- Experience developing hardware for aerospace, defense, robotics, or similarly rigorous applications.
- Familiarity with design-for-manufacture (DFM), design-for-test (DFT), and tolerance analysis.
- Knowledge of embedded systems, field oriented controls, microcontrollers, sensors, and power electronics.
- Experience with environmental or functional testing of electrical systems.
- Hands-on experience with lab equipment (oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, logic analyzers).
- Ability to work in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving requirements.
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The position will be on site at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA.
What We Offer:
- Competitive Base Salary + Equity-Based Compensation
- Highly Competitive PTO and Holiday Calendar
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
- Unique Performance-Based Bonus Structure
- Health and Wellness Stipend
- Commuter Benefits
ITAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Space 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.
The 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.
Ready to apply?
Apply to Space Kinetic