About the role

Muon Space seeks a Senior Program Manager to lead delivery of next-generation satellites for national security missions, including missile warning and tracking. This is a high-visibility, high-impact role at the intersection of payload engineering and rapid-cycle space vehicle development.

The Senior PM is the accountable owner for delivering the program on cost, schedule, and technical performance. You will manage a multi-disciplinary internal team, subcontractors, and a critical-path vendor base for EO/IR payloads, algorithm development, avionics, and space vehicle builds. The role spans the full program lifecycle: design reviews, hardware build, integration and environmental test, launch, and on-orbit operations.

This position is hybrid and requires working on-site in our San Jose, CA office three days per week.

Responsibilities

• Program Execution
  • Own the integrated master schedule, cost baseline, and risk register
  • Drive the program through preliminary and critical design reviews, payload and spacecraft integration, environmental test, launch, and on-orbit demonstration, meeting customer milestones and contract deliverables
  • Manage scope, cost, and period of performance against contract milestones and payment events
  • Lead day-to-day execution of the program team to the contract, running the weekly program cadence, internal design reviews, and readiness reviews; provide status and briefing content to the Mission Manager, who is the customer interface
  • Own the preparation and quality of contract deliverables, including status reports, design review packages, technical and cost data, test plans, and final reports, for delivery to the customer
  • Partner with the Mission Manager and Muon's Capture and Business Development teams on follow-on strategy
• Subcontractor and Vendor Management
  • Manage program subcontracts, including mission data processing and algorithm development
  • Coordinate critical-path vendors for detectors, focal plane arrays, cooler assemblies, and optics across long-lead procurements
  • Keep subcontract scope, cost, and schedule aligned with prime contract commitments
• Technical Leadership and Risk Management
  • Partner closely with the lead systems engineer and technical leads (payload design, AI&T, optics, electronics, software, mechanisms, thermal, mission systems) to drive technical decisions
  • Own and actively work the program risk register, including supply chain, integration, launch, and demonstration risks
  • Resolve cross-functional issues quickly and escalate to functional and program leadership when needed
• Compliance and Reporting
  • Ensure program execution complies with contract requirements, including U.S.-only performance, ITAR/EAR export controls, technical data rights, security requirements, and CUI handling
  • Coordinate with Contracts and Finance on subcontract changes, invoicing, and program financial reporting

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional experience in program or technical management of complex technical system development, deployment, and operations
• 5+ years of hands-on technical experience, preferably in an engineering or similar capacity, or direct ownership of a hardware development effort through design reviews to a tested product
• Direct experience with space, defense, or aerospace program planning and execution
• Demonstrated experience managing programs with multiple subcontractors and a complex critical-path supply chain
• Experience executing rapid-acquisition or prototype agreements for government customers, with familiarity navigating the government program lifecycle, technical data rights, and contract deliverables
• Active Secret U.S. security clearance
• U.S. citizenship required (Clearance required and program is ITAR-restricted)
• Excellent written communication skills; you will author or approve the program's contract deliverables

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Top Secret or TS/SCI clearance
• Prior experience on a missile warning, missile tracking, missile defense, or similar space-based infrared program
• Working knowledge of EO/IR sensor architectures, focal plane arrays, and cryocooler integration
• Working knowledge of missile warning data products and techniques for detection and tracking
• Experience managing programs through environmental test campaigns (TVAC, vibration, EMI/EMC)
• Experience with launch integration and early on-orbit operations

Salary

The salary range for this role is $206,000 - $232,000, 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.