Optical Systems Engineer

Responsibilities

• Deliver system architecture, SNR budget, and system-specific modeling
• Perform detailed optical design and tolerancing
• Develop risk reduction timelines, division of labor, and test strategies
• Manage environmental qualification and reliability testing
• Provide technical leadership for vendors and external partners
• Oversee laboratory characterization, system-level validation, and on-orbit commissioning
• Collaborate with optical and satellite bus teams on system requirements
• Prepare design reviews and communicate with hardware, software, and manufacturing teams
• Forecast staffing needs and mentor junior engineers
• Evaluate manufacturing equipment and develop factory layouts and work instructions

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, optics, computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field
• 8+ years of experience in the design, manufacture, and test of optical systems
• Experience managing the full product life cycle from requirements to deployment

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with high-volume manufacturing and design for manufacturability
• Experience with optical mechanisms, feedback, and actuation methods
• Deep knowledge of electro-optical sensing technologies like focal plane arrays and photodiodes
• Experience with experimental research and esoteric dataset visualization
• Understanding of space environment failure modes for electrical, mechanical, and optical systems

About the Company

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by leading investors, K2 is mass-producing high-power satellite platforms for missions ranging from LEO to deep space.