Senior Fluids Manufacturing Engineer

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 spearhead the clean-sheet manufacturing effort for creating K2 Space’s first Pumped Fluid Loop (PFL), a system integral for unlocking the ability to fly the highest-powered payloads ever put into space. Partnering with design engineers, you will ensure manufacturability of designs, build the first prototype, design the build flow and tooling, and finalize the process for transitioning components and assemblies from design to rate production. You will lead the setup of the work center for fluid components creation, assembly, and test. In your first year you will iterate upon the design, tooling, and station, transitioning them to production.   Responsibilities     Stand up the work center to manufacture and assemble our first Pumped Fluid Loop   Lead DFM efforts with design engineering teams, influencing architecture decisions to optimize for cost, quality, scalability and integration risk   Develop manufacturing planning and build flows for the satellite’s fluid systems   Develop and deploy advanced manufacturing technologies, automation concepts, and tooling systems to support increasing production rate   Collaborate with Engineers and Technicians to disposition nonconformances and evaluate any corrective actions   Act as the manufacturing point of contact for system fill, proof, and leak   Develop capacity models and rate ramp strategies to support rapid program growth   Qualifications     Bachelor’s degree in electrical, aerospace, mechanical, computer, or other engineering discipline    5+ years of experience in a manufacturing engineering role     Experience creating, improving, and deleting production process and workflows    Experience interacting with CAD software and CAD models   Experience qualifying (vibrational and thermal testing) components and assemblies    Experience in assembling fluid systems    Demonstrated knowledge of leak testing methods   Experience working in a clean room and with ESD-sensitive equipment    Experience creating GSE, tooling, or fixtures to support manufacturing operations   Nice to Have     Experience or exposure in a test or automation role   Proficient in  Python and/or Rust   Experience with fluid component functional testing (pumps, accumulators)     Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills    Expert multitasking skills with the ability to juggle priorities while maintaining focus to deliver against program goals   Compensation and Benefits     Base salary range for this role is $140,000 - $175,000 + 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.