About the role

Muon seeks a Mechanical Engineering Manager to lead our Mechanical Engineering team in Mountain View, CA. This role is responsible for the design, build , and test of the spacecraft that Muon launches. You’ll be at the frontlines of implementation, working with the mission formulation team to understand the customer needs and lay out a space vehicle that solves those needs. You’ll pull internally developed ‘off the shelf’ parts from our avionics team, develop those parts into full systems, and own the mechanical, thermal, structural, and dynamics of the full flight system. This role will report directly to the COO.

Responsibilities

• Build, Test, and Fly cutting-edge remote sensing spacecraft that make a difference to our understanding of the environment
• Lead a team of engineers including mechanical, thermal, structural, and propulsion (both full time and contractors as needed)
• Recruit and plan for an organization that will scale to meet the demands of the business as it grows
• Be the driving force behind having a technically excellent engineering team by mentoring team members and setting high standards
• Design spacecraft that meet mission goals developed collaboratively with customer-facing teams
• Develop a strong working relationship with the avionics team to ensure the roadmap will deliver components you need on a timeframe consistent with your responsibilities
• Work jointly with instrument teams to trade feasibility with features, and integrate instruments on to the spacecraft
• Negotiate requirements by having a deep understanding of the objectives and providing alternative solutions to proposed
• Manage the product lifecycle using industry standard best practices and demonstrate expertise in part release process
• Collaborate on test plans consistent with the risk posture of the mission and own the outcome of the test campaign
• Conduct design reviews, test readiness reviews, and flight readiness reviews with a heavy emphasis on technical excellence
• Set the engineering standards for the Mechanical organization (such as factors of safety, build vs buy, materials, product lifecycle process, etc.)
• Get your hands dirty by doing design, manufacture, and test yourself alongside the team to set the standard for what you expect

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, math, or science discipline. Or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience with designing complex, integrated systems that operate in harsh environments (autonomous vehicles, drones, spacecraft, etc.)
• 3+ years directly or indirectly managing engineering teams
• Track record of delivering products to the field
• Experience with managing analysis products and incorporating their feedback to design
• Excellent communication, teamwork, and presentation skills
• Excited to work in a fast-paced environment with new challenges each week

Nice-to-have Skills

• Managed spacecraft design teams
• Conducted full test campaigns on satellites or launch vehicles (e.g. Vibration, TVAC)
• Experience with risk management systems and matching risk tolerance to design requirements
• Experience in the space exploration industry, aviation, military, or other high-reliability operating environment
• Experience with project management
• Ability to rapidly change roles/responsibilities while working in a high-paced, rewarding work environment

About Muon Space

Muon Space is working at the forefront of satellites, advanced sensors, business intelligence, and climate science to allow humanity to close the loop on climate change. From satellite missions to modeling to data analytics and actionable insights, we believe measuring, understanding and predicting Earth’s complex, coupled systems is both a great business opportunity and key to leaving future generations a livable, productive and healthy planet.

We are a geographically diverse company and we seek great talent wherever it may be, however, due to the hands-on nature of our Mechanical Engineering team, this role does require candidates to be onsite in Mountain View, CA.

Equal Opportunity

At Muon, 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 believe in equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, age, national origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or gender identity. 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.

At Muon Space salary is only part of our total compensation package. In addition to salary, Muon Space provides equity compensation as well as benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401k retirement plan, life insurance, and an employee development program. We also offer three weeks paid vacation for new employees, along with 12 paid holidays and unlimited sick time, along with paid parental leave to name a few of our benefits.

The salary range for this role is 100K-190K and will depend on a candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience as defined during the interview process.

ITAR/EAR Requirements:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S. protected person as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.