Principal Crypto Engineer (TS//SCI)

Location: Los Angeles, CA; ability to travel up to 15% and work irregular business hours when required.

Base salary: $160,000–$245,000 per year, plus equity.

Company

Develops and mass-produces high-power satellites for commercial and U.S. government missions from low Earth orbit to deep space.

What you will do

• Own the end-to-end technical architecture of Type-1 cryptographic integrations across spacecraft, payload, and ground segments.
• Lead crypto designs from concept and trade studies through implementation, integration, and testing.
• Design encryption, key management, and key-loading implementations for command, telemetry, and mission data.
• Integrate cryptographic functions with flight software, avionics, FPGA, RF, and ground systems, and define related hardware and software interfaces.
• Produce design documentation and test evidence for certification while partnering with the COMSEC Certification Lead.
• Establish reusable cryptographic standards, mitigate risks across hardware, software, and RF boundaries, and support anomaly resolution for fielded and on-orbit systems.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of engineering experience designing or integrating cryptographic systems or secure communications.
• Hands-on experience integrating NSA Type-1 cryptographic equipment into a hardware or software system.
• Working knowledge of key management and key-loading implementations.
• Strong systems-level thinking and ability to reason from first principles across hardware, software, and RF boundaries.
• Ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced, demanding startup environment with competing priorities and aggressive schedules.
• Active Top Secret or Top Secret SCI clearance and ability to obtain and maintain access to additional programs as needed.
• U.S. person status as defined by ITAR or eligibility for a federally issued export control license is required for access to controlled information and items.

Nice to have

• Experience with spacecraft, satellite, or other space-system cryptographic integrations.
• Experience with embedded systems, FPGA design, or flight software.
• Familiarity with cryptographic modernization initiatives and current NSA-approved algorithms and equipment.
• Background in RF, link design, or secure command and telemetry systems.
• Exposure to NSA certification processes.

Culture & Benefits

• Fast-paced, high-growth Series D startup environment focused on producing large-scale satellite platforms.
• Comprehensive benefits including paid time off, medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Life insurance and paid parental leave.
• Equity in the company and additional employee perks.
• Reasonable accommodations are available for applications and interviews.