Senior Reliability Engineer, Technical Lead
Muon Space
San Jose
About the role
Muon seeks a Senior Reliability Engineer to serve as the technical lead of the reliability vertical within our Hardware Reliability & Test organization. You'll own how Muon predicts, measures, and improves hardware reliability- building out and standardizing the models, methods, and practices that ensure our constellations keep delivering mission-critical data. The role reports to the Senior Manager of Hardware Reliability & Test.
This is a build-and-lead opportunity: reliability practice at Muon today lives within individual hardware teams, and you'll be the one to unify it. The role carries substantial growth potential as the vertical expands, including a path into people management for the right candidate.
This position is hybrid and requires working on-site in our San Jose, CA office three days per week.
Responsibilities
- Own and evolve Muon's quantitative reliability models from component failure rates through system-level availability
- Build and standardize reliability methods across hardware teams: FMEA/FMECA, fault trees, and single-point-failure analysis
- Partner with domain experts across the hardware org to establish common part-level reliability standards including derating guidelines, COTS screening philosophy, and radiation-tolerance approach, capturing and codifying their expertise
- Identify gaps in test coverage and reliability data, and help drive the tests that close them- partnering with qualification and test teams on test conditions, sample sizes, and life-test strategies
- Close the loop with the fleet: use on-orbit performance data and anomalies to refine models and drive design guidance
- Embed reliability into the hardware lifecycle by partnering with design teams on design reviews, worst-case analyses, and qualification planning
- Communicate Muon's reliability posture to leadership and customers, and support proposals with reliability analyses
- Mentor engineers across teams on reliability methods, laying the foundation for a growing reliability function
Required Qualifications
- 8+ years of engineering experience with complex, high-reliability hardware, including 5+ years in reliability engineering
- Strong command of reliability analysis methods: FMEA/FMECA, fault trees, statistical reliability modeling, and derating analysis
- Experience applying industry reliability standards (e.g., MIL-HDBK-217, ECSS, AEC-Q, or similar)
- Demonstrated ability to turn test and field data into failure-rate estimates and actionable design recommendations
- Statistical fluency: Weibull analysis, confidence bounds, accelerated life testing with supporting tools (Python, R, or dedicated reliability software)
- Proven ability to define processes and drive consistency across multiple engineering teams
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- B.S. or higher in Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
Nice-to-have Skills
- Spacecraft or satellite reliability experience, including radiation effects on electronics
- On-orbit anomaly investigation or FRACAS experience
- Experience with reliability approaches for COTS-based space hardware
- Experience with reliability software tools (ReliaSoft, Relyence, or similar)
- Experience standing up new processes or functions within an engineering organization
- Technical leadership or mentoring experience
Salary
The salary range for this role is $216,000 - $236,000, 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.
About Muon Space
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 well as benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401k retirement plan, short & 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 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.
Muon is currently registered and able to hire in the following states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IA, ID, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA
ITAR/EAR Requirements
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.
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