Careers at Katalyst

Katalyst Description: Katalyst is an American technology company focused on d ynamic space operations . We are building a fleet of dual-use multipurpose robotic space vehicles to creat e the future where maneuvering, upgrading, refueling, resupply and exploration are as routine as they are on Earth. Getting to space and overcoming the gravity well is only half the story. What you do there is the future. We are not building the trains. We are building the machines that lay down the tracks. By developing the foundational capabilities that make sustained, responsive operations possible, we enable a new era of space exploration that strengthens national security and ensures freedom of action in an increasingly contested domain. Katalyst Culture: Working at Katalyst is intense, hands-on, and deeply rewarding. You’ll take real ownership and see your work move from concept to operations in an environment where the problems are hard and the impact is real. We value humility, craftsmanship, and doing things the right way, even when it’s harder. You’ll work closely with thoughtful, driven teammates who push each other to do their best. Broomfield, CO. Onsite. Full time. This position may be filled at Engineer, Senior, or Principal level depending on experience. Pick the level where you are strongest, we interview against that bar. Katalyst builds spacecraft that rendezvous with, capture, and service other spacecraft. Our vehicle is in orbit right now, and the robotic systems it carries, the arm, the vision pipeline, the docking capability, are the point of the mission, not a demo. The software that runs them is what you would own. Small team, real hardware, your code flies. What you will do Own robotics-facing flight software end to end: motion and actuator control applications, the vision-to-GNC data path, and safe degraded behavior when hardware misbehaves Write modern C++ that commands real actuators, arms, gimbals, and mechanisms, and Python where it moves faster Take pose from camera to control loop: consume, validate, and gate vision solutions so guidance never acts on stale or bad data Prove your work on our hardware-in-the-loop bench and flatsat before it flies, then watch it fly and own what happens next Work directly with GNC, avionics, and operations, and defend your design decisions to the people who depend on them What we need Strong C++ on real systems, and working Python Hands-on experience making software meet hardware: bring-up, debugging with real instrumentation, serial buses (CAN, RS-422, SPI/I2C, Ethernet) The instinct to challenge an assumption, back the challenge with data, and convince people. Engineers here make the call and defend it. Engineer: 2+ years. Senior: 6+ years. Principal: 10+ years. Years are a guide, not a gate. Robots, vehicles, instruments, or spacecraft all count, and aerospace experience is not required to succeed here. Plenty of what we need was learned on things that never left the ground. BS in engineering, computer science, robotics, or mechatronics, or equivalent proficiency. We mean the "or". US person (ITAR). No security clearance required, this is commercial servicing. Nice to have Real-time/RTOS or embedded Linux flight software HIL or SIL test infrastructure you built or ran yourself Pose estimation, state estimation, perception consumption, or motion planning exposure ROS/ROS2, cFS, or other robotics and space middleware. We fly our own framework today, and we evolve it deliberately: if you bring strong patterns from somewhere else, you get a real voice in where the architecture goes, not a foreign codebase you are stuck with. How we interview, because we think it matters Three conversations and one working session, all of it with us in the room. A short screen, a 45-minute technical conversation, then a 2-hour on-site: a small synthetic codebase seeded with a real class of bug from orbit, your choice of problem track and level, using any tools you normally would, AI assistants included. You present and defend what you did to a small panel and walk a few ops scenarios. Everyone gets the same session, scored against the level you chose. Every stage is scheduled within 5 business days of the last, we fly you in for the on-site, and if you need an accommodation for any of it, say so and we work it out. Additional Requirements : Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed. Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is: Engineer $105,000 - $150,000, Senior $160,000 - $210,000, Principal $200,000 - $250,000, base plus equity for every engineer Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off. At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

Katalyst Description: Katalyst is an American technology company focused on d ynamic space operations . We are building a fleet of dual-use multipurpose robotic space vehicles to creat e the future where maneuvering, upgrading, refueling, resupply and exploration are as routine as they are on Earth. Getting to space and overcoming the gravity well is only half the story. What you do there is the future. We are not building the trains. We are building the machines that lay down the tracks. By developing the foundational capabilities that make sustained, responsive operations possible, we enable a new era of space exploration that strengthens national security and ensures freedom of action in an increasingly contested domain. Katalyst Culture: Working at Katalyst is intense, hands-on, and deeply rewarding. You’ll take real ownership and see your work move from concept to operations in an environment where the problems are hard and the impact is real. We value humility, craftsmanship, and doing things the right way, even when it’s harder. You’ll work closely with thoughtful, driven teammates who push each other to do their best. Broomfield, CO. Onsite. Full time. This position may be filled at Engineer, Senior, or Principal level depending on experience. Pick the level where you are strongest, we interview against that bar. Katalyst builds spacecraft that rendezvous with, capture, and service other spacecraft. Our first vehicle is in orbit right now, flying real proximity operations, and the flight software running it is what you would own: the core platform every subsystem, sensor, and radio on the vehicle talks through. Small team, real hardware, your code flies, and you watch it fly from the console. What you will do Own core flight software subsystems end to end: telemetry and messaging, the command and sequencing path, fault detection and recovery, hardware interfaces (UART, CAN, TCP/IP, RS-422), and the radios that keep us commandable Write modern C++ on a Linux flight computer, Python where it moves faster, and keep it memory-safe and thread-safe under schedule pressure, because the schedule belongs to a spacecraft Take changes from design through review, flatsat and hardware-in-the-loop verification, deploy, and on-orbit behavior, and close them, verified and handed over, not demoed Run point on anomalies: diagnose from telemetry and logs, decide what is safe to command, then fix the class of defect, not the instance Make the team stronger: review flight code with rigor, hand systems off with documentation that outlives you, and coach less experienced engineers to shippable instead of rewriting their work Defend your design decisions to GNC, avionics, operations, and leadership, with data What we need Deep, hands-on C++ on real-time or resource-constrained systems that had to work, RTOS or embedded Linux Fault-tolerant thinking: what happens when this module fails, how the vehicle stays safe and commandable, how it recovers without waiting for the ground The habit of finishing: you close what you commit to, you verify before you call it done, and when a date slips we hear it from you first The instinct to challenge an assumption, back the challenge with data, and convince people. Engineers here make the call and defend it. Engineer: 2+ years. Senior: 6+ years. Principal: 10+ years. Years are a guide, not a gate. Spacecraft or launch vehicle experience helps a lot, real-time software on real hardware that had to work is what we actually need, and at Engineer level we care more about how fast you learn than what you have already flown. BS in computer science, computer engineering, aerospace, electrical engineering, or equivalent proficiency. We mean the "or". US person (ITAR). No security clearance required, this is commercial servicing. What this is not This is not a tooling or DevOps role. We have pipelines and you will touch them, but the code here commands hardware, and the hardest problem you have solved should be one where a physical thing did the wrong thing. If your best work is build infrastructure, we would rather point you at a role that celebrates it than waste your time here. Nice to have cFS, custom middleware, or other spacecraft and robotics frameworks. We fly our own, and we evolve it deliberately: bring strong patterns from somewhere else and you get a real voice in where the architecture goes. Radios, CCSDS, or spacecraft comms stacks SIL/HIL test infrastructure you built or ran yourself Rust, or safety-critical process experience (MISRA, NASA-STD-8739.8) Pose estimation, relative navigation, or vision-consumer integration How we interview, because we think it matters Three conversations and one working session, all of it with us in the room. A short screen, a 45-minute technical conversation, then a 2-hour on-site: a small synthetic codebase seeded with a real class of bug from orbit, your choice of problem track and level, using any tools you normally would, AI assistants included. You present and defend what you did to a small panel and walk a few ops scenarios. Everyone gets the same session, scored against the level you chose. Every stage is scheduled within 5 business days of the last, we fly you in for the on-site, and if you need an accommodation for any of it, say so and we work it out. Additional Requirements : Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed. Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is: Engineer $105,000 - $150,000, Senior $160,000 - $210,000, Principal $200,000 - $250,000, base plus equity for every engineer Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off. At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

Katalyst Description: Katalyst is an American technology company focused on d ynamic space operations . We are building a fleet of dual-use multipurpose robotic space vehicles to creat e the future where maneuvering, upgrading, refueling, resupply and exploration are as routine as they are on Earth. Getting to space and overcoming the gravity well is only half the story. What you do there is the future. We are not building the trains. We are building the machines that lay down the tracks. By developing the foundational capabilities that make sustained, responsive operations possible, we enable a new era of space exploration that strengthens national security and ensures freedom of action in an increasingly contested domain. Katalyst Culture: Working at Katalyst is intense, hands-on, and deeply rewarding. You’ll take real ownership and see your work move from concept to operations in an environment where the problems are hard and the impact is real. We value humility, craftsmanship, and doing things the right way, even when it’s harder. You’ll work closely with thoughtful, driven teammates who push each other to do their best. What You’ll Do Contribute to real spacecraft engineering work in one of four technical tracks: Electrical, Mechanical, GNC, or Software, with assignments sized appropriately for an internship. Work alongside experienced engineers on scoped technical problems involving design, analysis, implementation, integration, test, simulation, debugging, or engineering documentation. Gain hands-on exposure to flight hardware, test equipment, software environments, simulations, engineering data, and the processes used to take spacecraft from concept through test and operations. Participate in design reviews, test activities, technical discussions, and team meetings; ask thoughtful questions and communicate progress, assumptions, risks, and blockers clearly. Collaborate across disciplines to understand how electrical, mechanical, software, controls, mission operations, and program constraints interact at the spacecraft level. Apply classroom fundamentals to real engineering decisions and compare models, calculations, code, or design intent against test results and practical constraints. Document analyses, code, drawings, procedures, test results, or technical decisions so the work can be reviewed and used by the broader team. Demonstrate increasing independence over the course of the internship while seeking feedback early and maintaining ownership of assigned work. Create repeatable capture and partnership mechanisms that allow Katalyst to scale national security business development without becoming dependent on informal relationships or individual heroics. What We’re Looking For Required Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Robotics, Applied Math, Physics, or a closely related technical field. Strong academic foundation in the fundamentals relevant to the selected discipline and the ability to explain technical reasoning clearly. Demonstrated technical interest through coursework, laboratories, research, student teams, capstone work, personal projects, prior internships, or other hands-on experience. Ability to break down a technical problem, identify assumptions, ask useful questions, and make progress with guidance from more experienced engineers. Clear written and verbal communication and the ability to distinguish personal contributions from the work of a broader team. Curiosity and willingness to learn unfamiliar tools, systems, and technical domains quickly. Ability to collaborate effectively, receive direct technical feedback, and follow through reliably on commitments. Ability to comply with applicable export-control requirements and customer-access restrictions. Your Ideal Background Preferred Prior internship, co-op, research, student-team, or project experience in spacecraft, aerospace, robotics, autonomous systems, defense technology, high-reliability hardware, or another technically demanding environment. Experience designing, building, coding, analyzing, testing, or debugging something beyond normal classroom problem sets. Electrical track: exposure to circuits, embedded systems, PCB design, power electronics, sensors, test equipment, controls hardware, or hardware-in-the-loop environments. Mechanical track: exposure to CAD, mechanisms, structures, thermal or structural analysis, manufacturing, GD&T, test fixtures, or hardware integration. GNC track: exposure to dynamics, controls, estimation, navigation, orbital mechanics, simulation, MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or C/C++. Software track: exposure to C/C++, Python, Linux, embedded or real-time software, networking, testing, simulation, robotics, autonomy, or mission / ground software. Additional Requirements: Must be available for the defined internship term and willing to work hands-on in the office, lab, integration, or test environment as required. Occasional extended hours may be needed during critical test or mission activities. Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off. At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

Katalyst Description: Katalyst is an American technology company focused on d ynamic space operations . We are building a fleet of dual-use multipurpose robotic space vehicles to creat e the future where maneuvering, upgrading, refueling, resupply and exploration are as routine as they are on Earth. Getting to space and overcoming the gravity well is only half the story. What you do there is the future. We are not building the trains. We are building the machines that lay down the tracks. By developing the foundational capabilities that make sustained, responsive operations possible, we enable a new era of space exploration that strengthens national security and ensures freedom of action in an increasingly contested domain. Katalyst Culture: Working at Katalyst is intense, hands-on, and deeply rewarding. You’ll take real ownership and see your work move from concept to operations in an environment where the problems are hard and the impact is real. We value humility, craftsmanship, and doing things the right way, even when it’s harder. You’ll work closely with thoughtful, driven teammates who push each other to do their best. What You’ll Do Contribute directly to the design, development, integration, test, and operation of spacecraft software, including flight software, embedded and real-time systems, autonomy, simulation, mission software, and ground systems. Own well-scoped software engineering problems from requirements and architecture through implementation, unit and integration testing, debugging, documentation, deployment, and closure with support from senior engineers. Work hands-on with flight and embedded software, Linux environments, C/C++ and Python codebases, simulators, hardware-in-the-loop systems, networking, telemetry, logs, test infrastructure, and real spacecraft interfaces rather than operating only at the documentation layer. Participate in design and code reviews, software integration, simulation campaigns, hardware-in-the-loop testing, anomaly investigations, mission-readiness activities, and operational support; communicate software behavior, risks, assumptions, and decisions clearly. Collaborate across GNC, electrical, mechanical, propulsion, systems, mission operations, and test teams to understand software interfaces and system-level impacts on spacecraft behavior and mission performance. Build engineering judgment by comparing expected software behavior, simulations, interface assumptions, timing, telemetry, and test results against hardware-in-the-loop, integration, and operational data, identifying discrepancies, and iterating toward reliable mission software. Document requirements, assumptions, interfaces, architecture, code behavior, test results, procedures, and technical decisions so others can review, reproduce, maintain, test, and integrate the work. Take increasing ownership as technical capability grows, progressing from supervised implementation and test tasks toward independent feature-, service-, interface-, or subsystem-level responsibility. Support spacecraft mission execution by helping translate mission objectives and constraints into credible software architectures, algorithms, interfaces, test approaches, operational tools, and mission-support capabilities. What We’re Looking For Required Bachelor's degree completed, or expected before start date, in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Applied Math, or a closely related technical field. Strong academic or project-based grounding in data structures, algorithms, computer architecture, operating systems, embedded or real-time software, networking, software design, controls/autonomy software, or related software engineering fundamentals, with the ability to explain technical reasoning from first principles. Demonstrated hands-on software engineering experience through internships, research, student spacecraft or robotics teams, capstone projects, personal projects, open-source work, laboratories, competitive programming, or prior employment. Ability to break down ambiguous software problems, identify assumptions and interfaces, design appropriate architectures or algorithms, make reasonable implementation tradeoffs, and validate work through unit tests, simulation, integration testing, hardware-in-the-loop, telemetry, or data. Clear written and verbal technical communication, including the ability to explain what was personally architected, coded, integrated, tested, deployed, or debugged versus what was completed by a team. Comfort learning new spacecraft software architectures, interfaces, embedded platforms, tools, protocols, test methods, and mission concepts quickly in an environment where responsibilities may evolve with program needs. Ability to collaborate closely with GNC, electrical, mechanical, propulsion, systems, test, and mission-operations engineers and accept direct technical feedback without losing ownership of the problem. Ability to comply with applicable export-control requirements and customer-access restrictions. Your Ideal Background Preferred Internship, research, co-op, or project experience in spacecraft, aerospace, robotics, autonomy, embedded systems, real-time software, defense technology, high-reliability software, or another technically demanding environment. Experience taking a software feature, embedded application, autonomy component, simulation, service, or interface from concept and design into implementation, integration, test, deployment, or operation and using the results to drive changes. Exposure to C/C++, Python, embedded or real-time software, Linux, networking, testing, simulation, robotics, autonomy, hardware-in-the-loop environments, flight software, or mission / ground software. Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work hands-on in the office, lab, integration, or test environment as required and to support occasional extended hours during critical test or mission activities. Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $80,000 - $105,000 annually. Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off. At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.