Satellite Operator

Muon Space; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 43,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity compensation

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401k retirement plan

Disability and life insurance

Paid vacation (3 weeks)

12 paid holidays

Unlimited sick time

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Muon Space seeks a Satellite Operator to join our Operations team in San Jose, CA. You will execute satellite operation procedures, monitor health and safety of our on-orbit fleet, and collaborate with engineers on special operations, calibrations, and orbital maneuvers to ensure optimal performance.

This onsite role requires working in our San Jose office 5x a week, with 24/7 on-call rotation. The position emphasizes teamwork, problem-solving, and independent initiative in a fast-paced space

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent experience.
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities, with a collaborative approach to problem-solving.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to make critical decisions under pressure.
• Ability to work independently and in a team, take initiative, and communicate effectively.
• This position participates in a 24/7 on-call rotation with other team members.

Responsibilities

• Execute satellite operations procedures and monitor the health and safety of our on-orbit satellite fleet.
• Collaborate with engineers to execute operation plans and maintain continuity of satellite services.
• Analyze telemetry data and health reports to assess performance and implement preventive measures.
• Troubleshoot and resolve anomalies and malfunctions to restore functionality promptly.
• Execute satellite maneuvers, including orbit corrections and station-keeping, to optimize positions and performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support commissioning of new satellites into the fleet.

Skills

Satellite operations

Telemetry analysis

Troubleshooting

On-call rotation

Collaborative problem-solving

Independent working

Education

Associate degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Python

Julia

Job description

About the role

Muon seeks a Satellite Operator to join our Operations team in San Jose, CA. You will be at the forefront of our satellite and specialty sensing operations, ensuring the seamless functioning, monitoring, and maintenance of our fleet of satellites in space. Your primary responsibility will be to execute satellite operation procedures, troubleshoot anomalies, and implement corrective actions to ensure optimal performance and longevity of our satellites. In addition, you will be interacting with the engineering teams to perform special operations, calibrations and orbital maneuvers required to maintain the health and safety of our satellites on orbit.

This position is onsite and requires working in our San Jose, CA office 5x a week.

Responsibilities

• As a satellite operator, you will be responsible for executing our satellite operations procedures and monitoring the health and safety of our on-orbit satellite fleet.
• Collaborate with engineers across all disciplines to execute satellite operation plans and maintain continuity of satellite services.
• Analyze telemetry data and satellite health reports to assess system performance, identify potential issues, monitor system alerts, and implement preventive measures as prescribed by procedures.
• Troubleshoot and resolve anomalies and system malfunctions, utilizing established procedures and your technical expertise to restore satellite and system functionality promptly.
• Execute satellite maneuvers, including orbit corrections and station-keeping, to optimize satellite positions and performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support the commissioning of new satellites into the fleet and ensure a smooth transition from launch to operational phase.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent experience
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities, with a collaborative approach to problem-solving
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to make critical decisions under pressure
• Ability to work independently and in a team, take initiative, and communicate effectively
• This position participates in a 24/7 on-call rotation with other team members. The on-call rotation is approximately one week per month and is a core responsibility of this role.

Nice-to-have Skills

• Operations experience with spacecraft, ground stations, or other complex communication systems
• Strong understanding of satellite subsystems, including power, propulsion, communication, and payload
• Familiarity with industry standards and best practices in satellite operations
• Experience with Python, Julia, or another high-level scripting language

Salary

The hourly range for this role is $31-$40 plus a competitive equity grant and comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation will be 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.

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.

Taking Care of Our Team

• 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.

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.

In addition, if you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

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.