Principal Mission Architect - International

Muon seeks a Principal Mission Architect and mission formulation lead to join our mission development team to help direct the development of new mission architectures, with a focus on opportunities outside the United States. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated versatile engineer who can work with international 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.

This position can be performed remotely from an approved location.

• 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 mission payloads

• Leverage software tools and/or writing code to explore engineering trade studies and answer system design questions

• Understands key metrics and spacecraft and payload design trades, and can work effectively with Muon’s instrument design team

• Perform spacecraft performance and constellation configuration evaluation

• Collaborate with other discipline engineers and scientists to ensure the product meets objectives

• Regular international travel (30%) to support solution development and international business opportunities.

• B.S. or higher degree in a related engineering field plus 12 years of experience working with space missions. Higher-level degrees count for 2 years experience each if they are in relevant topics.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and coordination skills

• Dedication to drawing conclusions based on the most important factors and data available

• Spacecraft design experience

• Space mission design experience

• 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

Nice-to-have Skills

• Experience with international space programs

• Experience supporting science teams to develop missions

• Experience designing constellations

• Spacecraft and/or constellation operations experience

The salary range for this role is $170,000 - $243,000, plus a competitive equity grant and comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation will be determined based on skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic 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 at scale. From climate monitoring to national security, Muon Space is dedicated to delivering Earth Intelligence for a safer and more resilient world.

Taking Care of Our Team

At Muon salary is only part of our total compensation package. In addition to salary, full-time employees receive equity compensation as