About the role
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
As K2's Crypto Engineer, you will own the architecture and design of our Type-1 cryptographic integrations across the spacecraft and ground segment. You will carry these designs cradle-to-grave — from concept and trade studies, through implementation and integration, to NSA certification and accreditation, and into on-orbit operations. You'll define how K2's satellites protect command, telemetry, and mission data; partner with NSA, government customers, and certification authorities; and ensure our COMSEC architecture meets the bar for national-security missions while fitting the pace and scale of a high-volume satellite production line. This is a foundational role: you'll set the cryptographic standards the rest of the program builds against.
Responsibilities
- Own the end-to-end architecture and design of Type-1 cryptographic integrations across the spacecraft, payload, and ground segment
- Lead crypto designs from concept and trade studies through implementation, integration, certification, and on-orbit operations
- Define COMSEC architecture for command, telemetry, and mission data protection, including encryption, key management, and key loading approaches
- Serve as K2's primary technical interface to NSA, certification authorities, and government customers on cryptographic certification and accreditation
- Drive the certification and accreditation effort, developing the artifacts, test evidence, and documentation required to achieve and maintain approval to operate
- Partner with flight software, avionics, RF, ground, and security teams to integrate cryptographic functions into the broader system architecture
- Support COMSEC handling, key management planning, and operational procedures for on-orbit fleet operations
- Identify and mitigate cryptographic and supply-chain risks across design and production
- Establish reusable cryptographic standards, interfaces, and processes that scale across K2's satellite production line
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or higher in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or a related discipline
- 5+ years of engineering experience with cryptographic systems, COMSEC, or secure communications
- Direct experience with NSA Type-1 cryptographic equipment, integration, and certification processes
- Working knowledge of key management, key loading, and COMSEC handling requirements
- Experience taking a hardware or system design through certification and accreditation to operational use
- Strong systems-level thinking with the ability to reason from first principles across hardware, software, and RF boundaries
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding startup atmosphere with competing priorities and aggressive schedules
Nice to Have
- Experience with spacecraft, satellite, or other space-system cryptographic integrations
- Familiarity with cryptographic modernization initiatives and current NSA-approved algorithms and equipment
- Experience with RMF/ATO, JSIG, or other accreditation frameworks
- Background in RF, link design, or secure command and telemetry systems
- Experience supporting on-orbit or fielded operations
Additional Requirements
- Ability to travel up to 25% of the time
- Active Top Secret or Top Secret SCI clearance required; ability to obtain and maintain access to additional programs as needed
- Ability to work irregular business hours to support critical project timelines or operations
- This role requires access to information controlled under ITAR/EAR; applicants must be a U.S. Person as defined by applicable regulations
Compensation and Benefits
- Base salary range for this role is $160,000 - $245,000 + 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 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.
