GNC Hardware Engineer
Muon Space · San Francisco
Hardware & Electrical
Muon Space is hiring a GNC Hardware Engineer in San Francisco, California. Posted 24 September 2026. Apply directly on Muon Space's own careers site — no account needed.
About the role
Muon seeks a talented Spacecraft Attitude Control System (ACS) AKA Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) hardware engineer to join our team. The ideal candidate has experience or is excited to work with attitude sensors and actuators from component sizing analysis through build-vs-buy decisions, integration, testing, and on-orbit support.
This position is hybrid and requires working on-site in our Mountain View, CA office three days per week.
Responsibilities
- Evaluate GNC sensor and actuator trade space to meet power, cost, performance, and ConOps requirements
- Characterize GNC hardware performance and interactions with other systems, like software, electrical, and thermal
- Build, validate and improve simulation models of GNC components
- Perform trade studies to inform sensor and actuator configuration on the spacecraft
- Define and execute test plans for design verification, qualification testing, and acceptance testing, at the standalone component level and integrated system level
- Work with the Supply Chain team to manage vendor interactions and ensure products are delivered on schedule and with the expected performance
- Work with the integration and hardware teams on system integration
- Monitor the performance of GNC hardware on orbit and support anomaly resolution, participating with on-call rotations as needed
- Support hardware-in-the-loop test planning, execution, and validation
- Keep up to date on the state of the art of the industry
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or applied physics, or equivalent years of experience hands-on with GNC hardware
- Familiarity with common models of spacecraft attitude sensors and actuators
- No work experience is explicitly required; the role will include more autonomy and responsibility with more experience
- Availability to work in our San Jose location
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Excited to work in a fast-paced environment with new challenges each week
Nice-to-have Skills
- A passion for shipping real products quickly
- A commitment to keeping complexity as low as possible
- Hands-on experience building mechatronics projects that work
- A track record of writing code that others enjoy reading
Salary
The salary range for this role is $157,000 - $179,000, 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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