Platform Engineering Intern – Summer 2027

K2 Space
Los Angeles, CA
On-siteCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Aimed at early-career engineering students who seek hands-on exposure to satellite platform integration and have prior technical experience.

Best fit for

  • Early-career engineering students with prior technical experience in spacecraft systems or related fields
    — “Must be currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in mechanical, electrical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline”
  • Candidates who thrive in collaborative, cross-functional environments and can manage technical documentation
    — “Support cross-functional coordination with engineering teams to help assess vehicle readiness, track technical changes, and flag risks”
  • Individuals interested in contributing to active engineering projects and owning impactful work
    — “the opportunity to contribute directly to active engineering efforts, and the chance to own impactful pieces of work”

Things to consider

  • The internship requires in-person attendance at the Torrance HQ for at least 12 weeks
    — “Available for a minimum 12-week internship in person at our HQ in Torrance”
  • Non-US persons may need export control licensing due to ITAR restrictions
    — “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”

How to stand out

  • Highlight prior experience with technical documentation and project coordination in your resume
    — “Assist in developing and maintaining engineering schedules, milestones, and requirements documentation”
  • Emphasize any hands-on work with spacecraft components or systems testing
    — “Experience testing and troubleshooting spacecraft and their related components and systems”
  • Showcase any leadership roles in projects or teams to align with the 'nice to have' requirement
    — “Prior leadership experience for projects or teams”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Individual

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • successful project completion
  • positive feedback from engineering teams
Typical background
engineering degreetechnical engineering experience

Skills & requirements

Required

Technical EngineeringProject ManagementCross-functional CoordinationDesign Integration

Preferred

LeadershipPresentation Skills

Stack & domain

Mechanical EngineeringElectrical EngineeringAerospace EngineeringSatellite DesignVehicle DesignProgram ScheduleCross-functional CoordinationEngineering SchedulesRequirements DocumentationDesign ReviewsProcess And Analysis FrameworkCollaborationLeadershipProblem-solvingCommunicationSatellite Engineering

About the role

Original posting from K2 Space via Greenhouse

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 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.

With multiple launches in 2027 and plans to scale to 100 satellites a year, we're Building Bigger — helping develop the solar system and build toward a Kardashev Type II (K2) civilization. If you are a motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and you're excited about contributing to the success of a high-growth Series D-funded company, we'd love for you to apply.

The Role 

We're looking for a stellar Platform Engineering Intern to join our team for a 3-month internship. You'll join the team responsible for the overall development and integration of K2's satellite bus, gaining exposure to how we drive bus-level design integration and technical readiness from concept through launch. You'll work alongside the engineers who own vehicle design, program schedule, and cross-functional coordination, supporting the day-to-day work that keeps a satellite platform program moving. This role offers broad exposure to how a satellite platform comes together end-to-end, the opportunity to contribute directly to active engineering efforts, and the chance to own impactful pieces of work in K2's highly collaborative environment. 

Responsibilities 

Support bus-level design integration efforts, helping track vehicle design status and technical readiness across subsystems 

Assist in developing and maintaining engineering schedules, milestones, and requirements documentation for the satellite platform 

Support cross-functional coordination with engineering teams to help assess vehicle readiness, track technical changes, and flag risks 

Help support internal design reviews, ensuring documentation aligns with requirements 

Contribute to process and analysis framework improvements that support the team's growth 

Get hands-on exposure to how a satellite platform program is run end-to-end, from design through flight readiness 

Qualifications 

Must be currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in mechanical, electrical, aerospace, or other relevant engineering discipline 

6+ months experience of technical engineering skills outside of the university setting classroom (eg: laboratory, research, extracurricular project teams, volunteering, personal projects or prior internship/work experience) 

Additional Requirements 

Available for a minimum 12-week internship in person at our HQ in Torrance 

Nice to Have 

Prior leadership experience for projects or teams 

Ability to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with technicians, engineers, and managers 

Experience testing and troubleshooting spacecraft and their related components and systems, including subsystem checkouts and system acceptance testing 

Experience or exposure in a test or automation role  

Compensation 

Hourly pay range for this non-exempt role is $30 - $40 per hour  

Hourly rate will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: knowledge and skills, education, and experience level 

Housing and travel stipend may also be available 

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.

Source: K2 Space careers (Greenhouse)

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