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Salary: USD 206,000 - 232,000 / annual
Muon Space is seeking a Senior Program Manager to lead the delivery of next-generation satellites for national security missions, specifically missile warning and tracking systems. This is a high-visibility role at the intersection of payload engineering and rapid-cycle space vehicle development.
As the accountable owner, you will drive program delivery 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.
Key responsibilities include owning the integrated master schedule, cost baseline, and risk register; driving the program through preliminary and critical design reviews, payload and spacecraft integration, environmental test, launch, and on-orbit demonstration; managing scope, cost, and period of performance against contract milestones; leading day-to-day execution and weekly program cadence; owning preparation and quality of contract deliverables including status reports, design review packages, technical and cost data, test plans, and final reports; and partnering with the Mission Manager and Business Development teams on follow-on strategy.
You will manage program subcontracts for mission data processing and algorithm development, coordinate critical-path vendors for detectors, focal plane arrays, cooler assemblies, and optics across long-lead procurements, and ensure subcontract scope, cost, and schedule align with prime contract commitments. You will partner closely with the lead systems engineer and technical leads to drive technical decisions, own and actively work the program risk register, and resolve cross-functional issues quickly.
Compliance responsibilities include ensuring program execution complies with contract requirements, including U.S.-only performance, ITAR/EAR export controls, technical data rights, security requirements, and CUI handling. You will coordinate with Contracts and Finance on subcontract changes, invoicing, and program financial reporting.
The position is hybrid, requiring on-site presence in San Jose, CA three days per week.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 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
