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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Software Development Engineer, Test Platform - **Company:** K2 Space - **Location:** Los Angeles, United States - **Salary:** $123,000.0 - $175,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Testing (Software), Systems Engineering, Communications Protocols, Computer Engineering, Continuous Integration, Linux on Embedded Systems, Embedded Software, Ethernet, Firmware, Github, Hardware-In-The-Loop Simulation, Real-Time Operating Systems, Shell Script, Software Deployment, Test Execution Engine, Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter, Gitlab, Git, Containerization, Kubernetes, Information Technology, Bare Metal, Software Version Control, Docker, SDET, Jenkins - **Published:** August 29, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.dice.com/job-detail/2798189a-7050-48c9-970e-ca23fbac698d ## About the Role 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., * Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related STEM field, or equivalent professional experience * Experience building and maintaining test automation frameworks, not just executing tests written by others * Experience with CI/CD systems (e.g., GitLab Pipelines, GitHub Actions, Jenkins) and version control (Git) Nice to Have * Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testbeds or embedded systems testing * Experience testing avionics, spacecraft, robotics, autonomous vehicles, or other safety-critical hardware * Rust programming experience, including embedded or no_std environments * Knowledge of real-time operating systems (RTOS) or bare-metal embedded firmware * Familiarity with aerospace communication protocols (RS-422/485, Ethernet, UART, SpaceWire, Ethernet) * Experience with electronics test equipment: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies * Containerization experience (Docker, Kubernetes) for test environment management * Experience with Embedded Linux * Familiarity with shell scripting ## Description The software team at K2 builds software across the stack, from gateware & micro firmware to high level satellite control to Ground Software and all the associated testing, and we're looking for an SDET who shares our belief that test infrastructure is a first-class engineering discipline. You will be embedded directly within the flight software team, working shoulder-to-shoulder with the engineers writing the code that flies our spacecraft owning the automation frameworks, test tooling, and HIL infrastructure that make rapid, confident software deployment possible. This role is not a QA function. You will be a builder. In your first 6 months, you will design and ship core test automation frameworks and integrate them into our CI/CD pipelines. In your first year, you will own end-to-end test coverage across multiple spacecraft subsystems and lead HIL testing campaigns alongside flight software engineers, proving the software is ready to go to space. In your first two years, you will have operated your test systems against hardware that has been launched to orbit. Responsibilities * Design, develop, and own software test frameworks targeting K2's flight software stack, including subsystems for propulsion, GNC, power, thermal, and communications * Build and maintain automation tooling that integrates seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines, enabling fast and reliable flight software deployment * Develop hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) test infrastructure in close collaboration with flight software engineers * Create tooling for test execution, data collection, and anomaly triage that gives engineers clear, actionable signal * Reduce flaky and nondeterministic tests; continuously improve coverage, pipeline reliability, and test execution speed * Collaborate with flight software, avionics, and systems engineers to define test requirements, write test plans, and execute verification campaigns * Analyze test results to identify and characterize failures, and drive resolution across the team * Maintain documentation for test infrastructure, procedures, and hardware configurations ## Related Videos - [One Platform Could Not Fit Them All](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1919-one-platform-could-not-fit-them-all) - [Docker Compose: Rediscovered](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1978-docker-compose-rediscovered) - [How a Small Team Shrank a Microsoft Monorepo by 94%](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1236-how-a-small-team-shrank-a-microsoft-monorepo-by-94) - [How to develop an autonomous car end-to-end: Robotic Drive and the mobility revolution](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/22-how-to-develop-an-autonomous-car-end-to-end-robotic-drive-and-the-mobility-revolution) - [Docker build without Docker](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100114-docker-build-without-docker) - [Git for Code Reviews](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/429-git-for-code-reviews) ## Related Articles - [The 8 Best Code Testing Tools](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/402-the-8-best-code-testing-tools) - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [Dev Digest 121 - AI goes offline](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/456-dev-digest-121-ai-goes-offline) - [Dev Digest 120 - Apple and peers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/455-dev-digest-120-apple-and-peers) - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [Learning Kubernetes made easy with KubeCampus](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/348-learning-kubernetes-made-easy-with-kubecampus)