Ground Software Engineer, Top Secret Clearance
K2 Space
This job at a glance
- Who can apply
- New grads, no experience needed · Bachelor's degree
- Must know
- OperationsStakeholder managementDockerKubernetesCybersecurityNetworking
- Nice to have
- TypeScriptRustVueJava
- Work
- On-site in Los Angeles
- Pay
- $123K–$150K a year
- Skill demand
- Operations26%Stakeholder management21%Docker5%Kubernetes5%of 19 similar entry-level jobs posted in the US this week
- Listed
- Nov 2, 2026 · still open
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About the Role
As a Software Engineer on the Ground Software team, you will be responsible for creating the software used to build, test, and fly satellites and customer payloads. You will build upon the mission software platform for K2's Gravitas satellite, developing new capabilities and automation to support multiple constellations. You will collaborate with internal Mission Operations and Flight Software teams to define and implement the overall mission architecture, and work with external customers to scope and deliver software meeting their payload needs.
This role offers the opportunity to work in interdisciplinary domains such as satellite command and control, constellation operations, mission automation, radio communications, and astrodynamics.
This role requires in-person presence at our headquarters in Torrance, CA.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and implement software for building, testing, and operating K2's vehicles and customer payloads.
- Collaborate with Mission Operators and Engineers to identify and scope software solutions for complex technical and business problems.
- Facilitate software design reviews, architecture discussions, and code reviews to align stakeholders on technical direction.
- Work across the full stack, including Rust backend and TypeScript/Vue frontend, to support development, test, and operations milestones.
- Support internal and external customers in an on-call capacity for ground test activities and on-orbit spacecraft operations.
- Mentor other engineers to foster strong team culture and software engineering practices.
Requirements & Tech Stack
- Top Secret Clearance
- Rust backend
- TypeScript/Vue frontend
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 (e.g., PostgreSQL).
- 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: $123,000 - $150,000 + equity.
- Salary determination factors include knowledge, skills, education, and experience level.
- Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and other perks.