Principal Mission Architect

Muon Space seeks a Principal Mission Architect and mission formulation lead to join our mission development team to help direct the development of new mission architectures. The ideal candidate is a self‑motivated versatile engineer who can work with customers to identify their true needs, manage a team of engineers to develop a cost‑effective solution, and perform a range of mission‑level analyses, develop requirements, and design a practical and cost‑effective space mission.

• Develop a complete mission concept based on customer needs
• Perform mission‑level analysis and own all top‑level mission budgets
• Requirements definition and design for the mission and a variety of RF and optical instruments
• Leverage software tools and/or writing code to explore engineering trade studies and answer system design questions
• Understand key metrics and design trades for optical and RF instruments, and work effectively with the instrument design team
• Perform spacecraft performance and constellation configuration evaluation
• Collaborate with other discipline engineers and scientists to ensure the product meets objectives

• 12+ years of experience working with space missions (B.S. or higher; advanced degrees count for 2 years each if relevant)
• Excellent communication, presentation, and coordination skills
• Dedication to drawing conclusions based on the most important factors and data available
• Software skills in one or more of Python, Julia, Matlab, C, C++
• Travel to the Mountain View facility to support in‑person meetings, build, and test
• Excited to work in a fast‑paced environment with new challenges each week

• Instrument experience in a variety of wavelengths (visible, infrared, RF)
• Experience supporting science teams to develop missions
• Spacecraft and/or constellation operations experience

The salary range for this role is $207,000 – $257,823, plus a competitive equity grant and comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation will be determined based on skills, qualifications, experience, and location as assessed during the interview process.

Founded in 2021, Muon Space is an end‑to‑end Space Systems Provider that designs, builds, and operates LEO satellite constellations delivering mission‑critical data. Our revolutionary, integrated technology stack enables customers to optimize every dimension of their missions for faster time‑to‑orbit and superior constellation remote sensing performance. Our state‑of‑the‑art facility in the heart of Silicon Valley is optimized for manufacturing spacecraft and rapid, flexible payload integration m climate monitoring to national security, Muon Space is dedicated to delivering Earth Intelligence for a safer and more resilient world.

At Muon salary is only part of our total compensation package. In addition to salary, full‑time employees receive equity compensation as well as benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, short‑ and long‑term disability, and life insurance. We also offer three weeks paid vacation for new employees, along with 12 paid holidays, unlimited sick time, and paid parental leave.

Our mission embraces the entire planet and we believe our team should too. Muon is dedicated to creating a diverse and dynamic company and workforce. We value diversity in the workplace, and that starts with our applicants. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t check all the boxes, and we look forward to reviewing your application! In addition, if you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

This position requires access to export‑controlled information. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations applicable to that information, applicant must either be (A) a U.S. person, defined as a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, (B) eligible to access the export‑controlled information without a required export authorization, or (C) eligible and reasonably likely to obtain the required export authorization from the applicable U.S. government agency.

The Company may, for legitimate business reasons, decline to pursue any export licensing process.

We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law. If you belong to any of the protected veteran categories, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. We also support employees with disabilities and are a federal contractor required to comply with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs disability equal‑employment opportunity program.