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Senior Flight Dynamics Software Engineer, Mission Planning Platform Verified today

Muon Space · San Jose, CA · Space Systems · first seen 2026-09-19
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About the role

Muon seeks a Senior Flight Dynamics Software Engineer to join the Mission Planning Platform team and lead the buildout of flight dynamics capability. Partnering with the flight dynamics lead, you will own major workstreams end-to-end across orbit determination, maneuver planning, and constellation-scale automation. You'll mentor earlier-career engineers and represent flight dynamics in cross-team technical forums.

Responsibilities

  • Own major MuFDS (Muon's in-house flight dynamics system) workstreams end-to-end: architecture, implementation, validation, and operational rollout across automated maneuver planning, stationkeeping, collision avoidance, and maneuver reconstruction.
  • Drive architecture and design decisions for flight dynamics capabilities that span team boundaries.
  • Support on-orbit propulsion operations, including commissioning campaigns and routine maneuvers, in coordination with propulsion vendors and subcontractors.
  • Lead operational response for orbit determination and maneuver-related anomalies, including root-cause investigations and system improvements.
  • Represent flight dynamics in mission readiness reviews, cross-team design reviews, and external partner interactions.
  • Evolve Muon's OD pipeline toward advanced and robust methods such as statistical filtering, factor graph methods, and improved dynamics modeling.
  • Mentor earlier-career engineers on flight dynamics fundamentals, software craftsmanship, and Muon's ground systems.

Qualifications

  • B.S. or higher in aerospace engineering, astrodynamics, physics, applied math, or related field (M.S. preferred).
  • 5+ years of experience in flight dynamics software development and operations.
  • Direct, hands-on experience planning, executing, and reconstructing propulsive maneuvers for operational LEO spacecraft.
  • Strong proficiency in C++ and Python, with a track record of production-level contributions in both.
  • Solid grounding in flight dynamics fundamentals: orbital mechanics, propagation, orbit determination, maneuver design.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead technical work across functional boundaries and communicate clearly with non-FD stakeholders (GNC, Systems, Operations, external vendors).
  • Ability to translate first-principles analysis into production-level code.
  • Familiarity with modern software engineering practices (version control, code review, automated testing) in a Linux-based environment.
  • Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with evolving priorities.

Nice-to-have skills

  • Hands-on experience implementing and operating OD systems, including filter tuning, residual analysis, and dynamics model calibration.
  • Experience with astrodynamics software: open-source (GMAT, Orekit) or commercial (Ansys STK/ODTK, FreeFlyer).
  • Experience taking a spacecraft from LEOP through steady-state operations.
  • Experience with conjunction assessment and collision avoidance workflows.
  • Experience with scheduling or constrained optimization problems (pass scheduling, contact planning).
  • Experience with cloud-based services or ground software systems.

Compensation

Salary range: $213,000 - $237,000 plus competitive equity grant and comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation based on skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic location.