Senior Systems Engineer, EO/IR Payloads Verified today

About the role

Muon Space is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer, EO/IR Payloads to join the Mission Innovation team. You will drive technical exploration of new payload and instrument concepts, enable novel imaging modes, and conceptualize innovative use cases through advanced systems engineering, modeling, and analysis. You will bridge Applied Science, Payload Engineering, Product, Mission Systems, and Business Development to identify opportunities, lead proof-of-concept efforts, and engage stakeholders. Operating at the earliest stages of the business lifecycle, you will hypothesize, analyze, and validate how Muon's unique payload capabilities can solve critical challenges for defense, intelligence, philanthropic, and commercial end-users.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a core technical member of the Mission Innovation team, conceptualizing, analyzing, demonstrating, and experimenting with new EO/IR payload concepts and related technologies.
• Develop system and payload requirements, build advanced simulations and models, and perform detailed technical analysis for early-stage payload concepts and use cases.
• Identify and enable novel imaging modes and new operational use cases that address critical challenges for stakeholders and customers.
• Drive and support early-stage execution of R&D activities and proposals as Principal Investigator.
• Partner closely with Product and Applied Science groups to translate early-stage ideas into feasible, rigorous technical architectures and demonstrations.
• Evaluate early-stage technical trades, radiometric models, and system budgets for unconventional applications prior to traditional development phases.
• Perform feasibility studies, literature reviews, and trade studies to support development of early-stage mission, instrument, and data concepts.
• Support customer discovery, capability demonstrations, and proposal generation by providing deep EO/IR systems engineering expertise and analytical backing.
• Support creation of technical proposals, white papers, and concept studies that articulate the differentiation and mission utility of Muon's offerings and drive R&D roadmaps.

Qualifications

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in an engineering field, Physics, Optical Sciences, or equivalent experience.
• 5 or more years of experience working as a systems or instrument engineer, with deep technical knowledge in the EO/IR payload engineering domain.
• Background in infrared, multispectral, hyperspectral, or similar remote sensing phenomenologies.
• Experience in EO/IR and related space missions across government and commercial markets.
• Demonstrated capability in traditional systems engineering including requirements development, simulation and modeling, and detailed technical analysis.
• Software skills in one or more languages such as Python, Julia, or MATLAB for modeling, simulation, and data analysis.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and organization skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical information to cross-functional teams and external customers.
• Strong collaborative skills for working across disciplines including engineering, satellite operations, mission architecture, and business development.
• Ability to obtain TS/SCI security clearance required; active clearance strongly preferred.
• Ability to travel 25-30%.

Nice-to-have skills

• Familiarity with early-stage business development, strategic capture, and customer discovery.
• Experience developing radiometric models and scene simulations to drive early application feasibility and payload design trades.
• Experience working hands-on with rapid prototyping, experimental payloads, or capability demonstrations.
• Familiarity with space systems development, especially small satellite remote sensing system architectures.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $151,000 to $209,000 plus a competitive equity grant and comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation will be determined based on skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic location.

Employment terms

Full-time employees receive equity compensation, medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401k retirement plan, short and long term disability and life insurance, three weeks paid vacation for new employees, 12 paid holidays, unlimited sick time, and paid parental leave.

ITAR/Export control requirements

This position requires access to export controlled information. Applicant must either be a U.S. person (U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee), eligible to access export controlled information without required authorization, or eligible and reasonably likely to obtain required authorization from the applicable U.S. government agency.