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
As a Senior HR Business Partner at K2 Space you will play a pivotal role in shaping our company's culture and people strategy. You will work closely with leadership to design and implement HR initiatives that align with our mission, fostering an innovative and inclusive environment where top talent can thrive. You will leverage your well-honed understanding of applicable labor and employment law to ensure the company is as compliant as it is compelling. This is a unique opportunity to build the HR function from the ground up in a dynamic, cutting-edge industry, driving impact at every level of the organization. If you're passionate about people and space, this is the role for you.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a strategic partner and reliable resource for people managers and individual contributors, fostering a positive and productive work environment
- Partner with leadership to anticipate workforce risks and support organizational scaling while ensuring a safe, inclusive, and productive work environment across all sites
- Coach and support managers so they know how to address and manage people matters confidentially and compliantly.
- Respond to employee questions and provide information, guidance, and direction on core HR functions
- Foster a healthy and productive workplace by proactively identifying and addressing potential employee relations matters before they materialize, and by managing and driving solutions to existing employee relations matters in a timely, collaborative, and fair way
- Identify, develop, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to deploy HR policies, programs, and processes that are required to meet contractual requirements, at law requirements, and that enable the business to scale
- Drive internal initiatives that foster employee engagement and satisfaction, and that promote employee retention
- Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws across multiple states
- Contribute to strategic initiatives that support the company’s goals, such as diversity and inclusion efforts and workforce development programs
Qualifications
- 8+ years as an HR Business Partner, preferably partnering with technical teams, engineering, and operational leadership
- Experience and demonstrated success operating in high-growth environments (early stage startup or similar)
- Prior experience in a fast-scaling startup
- Demonstrated ability and past success influencing and coaching both people managers and individual contributors throughout an organization, achieving positive resolutions to complex matters without damaging relationships
- Experience with succession planning and longer-term leadership develop in order to ensure internal talent development and readiness
- Manager coaching leading to consistently high-performing teams
- Hands-on experience working with internal stakeholders and independently managing complex employee relations matters, internal investigations, and similar contentious matters
- Direct experience with California labor and employment law, including working with both non-exempt and exempt workers, wage and hour matters, employee entitlements, and similar laws and regulations
- Demonstrated ability to plan, implement, and own complex projects with multiple stakeholders
- Direct experience with HRIS and performance management tools, such as 15Five, Rippling, Leapsome, Lattice, ADP Workforce Now, etc.
Nice to Have
- Professional HR certifications such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR
- Experience working in a California-based aerospace, engineering, technology, or hardware manufacturing technology startup
- Utilization of people data analytics to make recommendations and impact outcomes
- Experience with AI tools and applications
- Experience managing HR functions for non-exempt employees with specific experience with California labor regulations
Compensation and Benefits:
- Base salary range for this role is $120,000 – $150,000 + 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.
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