Joblaze summary

In the role of Ground Software Engineer, the individual will develop software essential for the construction, testing, and operation of satellites and customer payloads. Proficiency in Rust for backend development and TypeScript for frontend work is crucial, alongside experience in software engineering principles. This position is well-suited for candidates with a strong technical background and a minimum of three years of relevant experience, particularly those familiar with space missions. The team operates in a fast-paced environment, contributing to the ambitious goal of scaling satellite production.

Joblaze insights

Listed 4 days ago — first seen on Joblaze November 4, 2026. Last confirmed on K2 Space's careers page November 8, 2026.
Salary band is below the typical range for Backend roles (median ~$180,000).
Starts above 15% of 53 comparable mid backend roles in United States that list Kubernetes we track (median $130,000 across 24 companies). See Kubernetes salary trends
Kubernetes appears in 32.7% of 263 comparable mid backend roles in United States; Vue appears in 1.1% of 263 comparable mid backend roles in United States.

Quick facts

Is the Ground Software Engineer, Top Secret Clearance role remote?: No — this is an on-site role in Los Angeles, CA.
What's the salary range?: K2 Space lists $123,000–$150,000 for this role.
How much experience is required?: At least 3 years of relevant experience for this Ground Software Engineer, Top Secret Clearance role.
Where is the role based?: K2 Space is hiring for this position in Los Angeles, CA.
What's the tech stack?: Joblaze extracted these technologies from the posting: Docker, JavaScript, Kubernetes, PostgreSQL, Rust, TypeScript.
What seniority level is this role?: K2 Space targets mid-level candidates for this position.
Is this full-time or contract?: Full-time for this Ground Software Engineer, Top Secret Clearance role at K2 Space.

From the original posting

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 Role

As a 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
Top Secret Clearance

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!

Standard company text repeated across K2 Space's postings is omitted here.

Ground Software Engineer, Top Secret Clearance

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