SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 140,000 - 200,000 / annual
K2 Space is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, backed by over $1 billion in funding and $1 billion in signed contracts across commercial and US government customers. The company is mass-producing advanced satellite platforms for missions from LEO to deep space, with multiple launches planned for 2027 and scaling to 100 satellites per year.
As COMSEC Certification Lead, you will report to the VP of National Security and own the end-to-end path to NSA certification and accreditation for K2's Type-1 cryptographic systems across spacecraft and ground segments. You will serve as K2's primary interface to the NSA, certification authorities, and government customers on all cryptographic certification and accreditation matters.
Key responsibilities include:
- Owning the full certification and accreditation effort from planning through delivery of artifacts, test evidence, and documentation
- Translating NSA and customer security requirements into actionable engineering requirements
- Achieving and maintaining approval to operate across K2's spacecraft and ground systems
- Establishing and managing COMSEC handling, accounting, and key management planning
- Developing operational procedures for COMSEC during on-orbit fleet operations
- Identifying and mitigating supply-chain compliance risks across design and production
- Building repeatable, scalable certification processes for K2's satellite production line
- Working closely with the Principal Crypto Engineer on the Satellite Engineering team to ensure designs meet national-security mission requirements
This is a foundational role where you will build the certification playbook that K2 scales across every satellite produced. You will work in a fast-paced, high-growth Series D environment with aggressive timelines and competing priorities.
Travel up to 25% of the time is required. Ability to work irregular business hours to support critical project timelines or operations is expected.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree or higher in engineering, computer science, or related technical discipline
- 5+ years of experience in COMSEC, information assurance, or cryptographic certification
- Direct experience taking a system through NSA Type-1 certification and accreditation to operational use
- Working knowledge of COMSEC handling, accounting, and key management requirements
- Proven ability to manage relationships with NSA, government customers, and certification authorities
- Strong organizational and communication skills with ability to manage complex documentation and schedules
- Ability to work autonomously in a demanding startup atmosphere with competing priorities
- Active Top Secret or Top Secret SCI clearance required; ability to obtain and maintain access to additional programs as needed
- U.S. Person status as defined by ITAR (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual)
NICE TO HAVE:
- Experience certifying spacecraft, satellite, or other space-system cryptographic integrations
- Experience with RMF/ATO, JSIG, or other accreditation frameworks
- Experience as a COMSEC Custodian or managing a COMSEC account
- Familiarity with cryptographic modernization initiatives and current NSA-approved algorithms and equipment
- Experience supporting on-orbit or fielded operations
