The Role

You will own the successful implementation of the Hall thruster development and production test for both R&D and production. Collaborating with an interdisciplinary team of engineers, machinists, and technicians to bring designs to life, you will be a primary contributor on a team developing new high power systems/modules and launching them into orbit. In your first 6 months, you will stand up one of the largest test facilities in the world, develop a state-of-the-art thrust stand for full propulsion system characterization, and related testing infrastructure. In your first year, you will validate flight hardware using your test facilities, participate in multidisciplinary test campaigns, and incorporate diagnostic probes.

This role can be adapted to an individual contributor or leadership role based on the candidate's goals and qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Setup, commission, and maintain state-of-the-art vacuum chambers, test stands, and data acquisition systems for Hall thruster propulsion systems

• Perform tests on a novel 20 kW Hall thruster, feed systems, power electronics, and hardware-in-the-loop electrical systems

• Fabricate and assemble test fixtures from CAD, drawings, and electrical schematics. Integrate devices under test with data acquisition hardware and software

• Troubleshoot electrical and mechanical test setups and hardware

• Generate proper documentation associated with both development and production: test procedures, test reports, standard operating procedures, etc. 

• Setup and execute high pressure test campaigns of propellant tanks

• Mentor early career engineers

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, or other relevant engineering discipline

• 5+ years of hands-on fabrication, assembly, and/or testing experience that includes hardware/software integration of electric propulsion systems

• Experience with installation and maintenance of vacuum equipment including rough pumps, turbopumps, cryopumps, standard vacuum fittings, RGAs, leak detectors, pressure gauges, etc. 

• General understanding and application of standard principles, theories, concepts and techniques in electric propulsion

• Experience in test equipment build-up and test operations, including mass flow controllers

Nice to Have

• Hands on experience with propellant loading for electric propulsion systems

• Experience with setting up thermal vacuum chambers

• Experience with finite element analysis for electromagnetic fields and/or fluid flow

• Experience with Siemens NX/Teamcenter, fluid schematics, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance (GD&T)

• Experience with Python and data acquisition systems

Compensation and Benefits:

• Base salary range for this role is $130,000 - $180,000 + 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 unlimited 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.