Lead, Supplier Development Engineer

About this role

<div class="content-intro"><p class="p1">K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciapark/2025/12/11/this-startup-is-building-huge-satellites-for-an-underused-interstellar-sweet-spot/?ctpv=searchpage">$450M</a> from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, T. Rowe Price, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Alpine Space Ventures, and others <span class="s1">– </span>with an additional $500M 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.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p1">The rise of heavy-lift launch vehicles is shifting the industry from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance, and we believe this new era demands a fundamentally different class of spacecraft. Engineered to survive the harshest radiation environments and to fully capitalize on today’s and tomorrow’s massive rockets, K2 satellites deliver unmatched capability at constellation scale and across multiple orbits.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p1">With multiple launches planned through 2026 and 2027, we're Building Bigger to develop the solar system and become a Kardashev Type II (K2) civilization. <span class="TextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0" lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0">If you are a motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0">you're</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0"> excited about contributing to the success of a groundbreaking Series C</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0"> space startup, </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0">we’d</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW79998266 BCX0"> love for you to apply.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW79998266 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p></div><p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">The Role</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">As the Lead, Supplier Development Engineer within the Supply Chain organization at K2 Space, you will be responsible for defining and implementing supplier development strategies for the company. In this role, you will build and lead a team that owns supplier development to ensure quality standards are met and enable high-rate production. You will lead the charge on defining process that continuously evaluates suppliers, working with them to develop their process and improving their ability to support the company’s needs. This role will have high visibility and impact across the organization. You will work closely with engineering, manufacturing, and procurement teams to grow and mature suppliers into strategic partners in support of company critical missions.</span> <span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Responsibilities</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Build the supplier development engineering team and define processes to achieve short term build targets and a ramp to high-rate production.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Assess supplier capabilities, technologies, and their ability to successfully execute manufacturing requirements. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Manage Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), rate, and reliability campaigns to enable production.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Lead containments, issue ticket resolution, and supplier corrective action efforts.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Evaluate supplier quality performance and drive improvements, using scorecards and audits, to ensure compliance to quality standards.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Define and oversee a standardized qualification process for suppliers…