Ground Software Engineer

K2 Space

$123K — $150K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in a STEM field or 3+ years of professional software engineering experience.
  • Experience related to satellite ground segments or space missions is a plus.
  • Proficiency in Rust or another statically typed backend language (e.g., Go, C++, Java).
  • Familiarity with JavaScript/TypeScript and modern frontend frameworks (Vue, React).
  • Knowledge of version control, continuous integration, and software deployment processes.

Responsibilities

  • Design and implement software for building, testing, and operating satellite systems.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify software solutions for complex issues.
  • Lead technical discussions and reviews to ensure alignment on software design and architecture.
  • Work across technology stack to meet development milestones supporting satellite operations.
  • Provide on-call support for software during ground tests and on-orbit activities.
  • Mentor fellow engineers to strengthen team capabilities and engineering best practices.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Paid time off and paid parental leave offered.
  • Equity options available as part of compensation.
  • Supportive company culture that values diverse career paths and experiences.
Full Job Description
The Role

As a Senior Software Engineer on our Ground Software team, you are responsible for creating the software that is used to build, test, and fly our satellites and customer payloads. You will build upon the mission software platform used to fly K2's Gravitas satellite, developing new capabilities and automation as we scale to support multiple constellations. You will collaborate closely with internal Mission Operations and Flight Software teams to define and implement our overall mission architecture, and you will work with external customers to scope and deliver software that meets their payload needs.

You will have the opportunity to work in exciting, interdisciplinary domains like: satellite command and control, constellation operations, mission automation, radio communications, astrodynamics, and more.

**This role requires in person presence at our headquarters in Torrance, CA.**

Responsibilities
  • Design and implement software that facilitates the build, test, and operations of K2's vehicles and our customers' payloads
  • Collaborate with Mission Operators and Engineers across the company to identify and scope software solutions to complex technical and business problems
  • Facilitate software design reviews, architecture discussions, and code reviews to align stakeholders on technical direction
  • Work across our stack (Rust backend, TypeScript/Vue frontend) to support development, test, and operations milestones
  • Support internal and external customers in an on-call capacity as your software is used to drive ground test activities and on-orbit spacecraft operations
  • Mentor other engineers to build a strong team culture and software engineering practices

Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, math, or a STEM discipline or 3+ years of professional experience in software engineering

Nice-to-Have
  • Experience working on space missions and/or the satellite ground segment
  • Experience with Rust or another statically-typed backend programming language (Go, C++, Java, C#, TypeScript)
  • Experience with JavaScript/TypeScript and modern frontend development tooling (Vue, React, Svelte)
  • Experience with version control, continuous integration, build, deployment, monitoring
  • Experience developing HTTP or gRPC APIs
  • Experience with SQL databases (PostgreSQL or similar)
  • Experience designing and implementing event-driven architectures
  • Experience developing reliable, scalable systems
  • Experience with Docker and/or Kubernetes
  • Experience with WebSockets and/or Server-Sent-Events (SSE)
  • Familiarity with cybersecurity best practices and relevant certifications/standards (SOC2, FedRAMP)
  • Familiarity with networking protocols (TCP/IP, UDP, QUIC)
  • Familiarity with data streaming technologies such as NATS, Pulsar, or similar

Compensation and Benefits:
  • Base salary range for this role is $123,000 - $150,000 + 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!

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