Digital ASIC Design Engineer

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by $450M from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, T. Rowe Price, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Alpine Space Ventures, and others – 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.

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 planned through 2026 and 2027, we're Building Bigger to develop the solar system and become 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 groundbreaking Series C space startup, we’d love for you to apply.

The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Digital ASIC Design Engineer to contribute to the design and implementation of digital subsystems for advanced wireless SoCs. You will be part of a collaborative design team developing state-of-the-art mixed-signal SoCs to be hosted on some of the largest, most powerful, rapidly designed and rapidly manufactured satellites ever deployed in space. In your first 6 months, you will architect, develop, and implement new SoC sub-systems for satellite communications and beyond. In your first two years, you will have flown your sub-system in space and developed cutting-edge mixed-signal SoCs.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and verify digital blocks for wireless SoCs using SystemVerilog or Verilog.

• Translate algorithmic and architectural specifications into synthesizable RTL.

• Implement DSP functions such as filtering, FFT/IFFT, or beamforming.

• Convert chip specifications into RTL using internal IPs and external IPs.

• Design and develop RTL for interfaces, power management, clocking, reset, test & debug.

• Partner with analog/mixed-signal teams to define digital-analog interfaces, calibration engines, and control logic.

• Optimize designs for power, performance, and area (PPA) and support timing closure through synthesis and backend collaboration.

• Contribute to block-level integration, synthesis, and timing closure.

• Participate in design reviews, functional verification, and timing closure.

• Participate in chip bring-up and lab validation of complex digital subsystems.

• Support your product through production and spaceflight.

Required Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.

• 2+ years of hands-on experience in digital ASIC design.

• Proficiency in RTL design (SystemVerilog or Verilog), synthesis, and linting tools.

• Experience in micro-architecture definition from architecture guideline and model analysis.

• Experience with DFT tools for scan and BIST insertion.

• Solid understanding of SoC design flows including clock/power domain crossing, timing constraints, and formal verification.

• Familiarity with EDA tools for design, simulation, linting, and STA.

• Experience implementing DSP functions in hardware.

• Understanding of digital design best practices including clock domain crossing (CDC), power domain management, and design-for-test (DFT).

• Strong debugging, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in wireless SoC development (e.g. cellular, Wi-Fi, satellite, or mmWave systems) and successful tapeouts in advanced design nodes.

• Design experience in datapath, flow control, arbitration, FIFO, DMA, IOMMU, SoC bus architecture, ARM’s AXI/AHB bus architecture & protocols, serial interfaces such as SPI, I3C, UART.

• Familiarity with DSP algorithm modeling (MATLAB, Python, or C++) and converting models into RTL.

• Hands-on experience with lag bring-up and post-silicon debug.

• Knowledge of digital calibration and control of RF/mixed-signal front ends.

• Exposure to hardware-software co-design and embedded process integration.

• Experience working in cross-functional, geographically distributed teams.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Base salary range for this role is $130,000 – $200,000 + 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!

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.