York Space Systems careers in 2026: IPO, SDA satellites, and jobs
York Space Systems went public on NYSE in January 2026 (ticker: YSS) at $34/share, valued at ~$4.75 billion. The Denver-based company builds satellites for the Space Development Agency's missile tracking and transport constellation.
Key facts
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Employees | ~670 |
| Revenue (trailing 12mo) | $375M |
| Backlog | $642M (substantially all SDA) |
| SDA contracts | 6 contracts across 3 tranches |
| Satellites delivered | 21 Tranche 1 Transport Layer (August 2025) |
| Total satellites building | 136 across SDA phases |
Salary
| Role | Salary |
|---|---|
| Software Engineer | ~$121,000 |
| Systems Engineer | $131,000–$143,000 |
| Senior Engineer | ~$137,000 |
| Engineering Lead | ~$174,000 |
Why York matters
York is one of the few pure-play space companies focused on defense satellite constellations. The $642M backlog and IPO provide funding stability, and the company is acquiring suppliers to vertically integrate (including a ~$120M stock acquisition and the ATLAS ground services purchase).
Location: Denver, CO — a growing space industry hub with moderate cost of living compared to California.
As a newly public company, York is likely to expand its workforce to execute on its $642M backlog. Engineers with satellite integration, RF systems, or flight software experience are well-positioned for these roles. The company's SDA contracts provide multi-year revenue visibility.
Browse space industry positions on Zero G Talent, or see our space careers overview.