Senior Flight Dynamics Architect, Mission Planning Platform

Muon Space; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 213,000 - 237,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity compensation

Healthcare benefits

401k retirement plan

Job summary

Muon Space in San Jose, CA is seeking a Senior Flight Dynamics Software Engineer to lead the Mission Planning Platform. You will own workstreams end-to-end—from architecture to production deployment—covering orbit determination, maneuver planning, and constellation-scale automation, while mentoring junior engineers.

You will collaborate across teams, drive design decisions, support on-orbit propulsion operations, and help evolve the OD pipeline with advanced methods.

Qualifications

• B.S. or higher in aerospace engineering, astrodynamics, physics, applied math, or related field (M.S. preferred).
• 5+ years of experience in flight dynamics software development and operations.
• Direct, hands-on experience planning, executing, and reconstructing propulsive maneuvers for operational LEO spacecraft.
• Strong proficiency in C++ and Python, with production-level contributions.
• Solid grounding in flight dynamics fundamentals: orbital mechanics, propagation, orbit determination, maneuver design.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical work across functional boundaries and communicate clearly with non-FD stakeholders (GNC, Systems, Operations, external vendors).
• Ability to translate first-principles analysis into production-level code.
• Familiarity with modern software engineering practices (version control, code review, automated testing) in a Linux-based environment.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with evolving priorities.

Responsibilities

• Own major MuFDS workstreams end-to-end across architecture, implementation, validation, and operational rollout.
• Drive architecture and design decisions for flight dynamics capabilities that span team boundaries.
• Support on-orbit propulsion operations, including commissioning campaigns and routine maneuvers, in coordination with propulsion vendors and subcontractors.
• Lead operational response for orbit determination and maneuver-related anomalies, including deep-dive root-cause investigations and follow-on system improvements.
• Represent flight dynamics in mission readiness reviews, cross-team design reviews, and interactions with external partners.
• Evolve Muon’s OD pipeline toward more advanced and robust methods (e.g. statistical filtering, factor graph methods, improved dynamics modeling).
• Mentor earlier-career engineers on flight dynamics fundamentals, software craftsmanship, and Muon’s ground systems.

Skills

C++

Python

Flight dynamics

Orbital mechanics

Propagation

Maneuver design

Communication

Linux

Education

B.S. or higher in aerospace/astrodynamics/physics/applied math

M.S. preferred

Tools

GMAT

Orekit

Git

Linux

Ansys STK

FreeFlyer

Job description

Muon Space in San Jose, CA is seeking a Senior Flight Dynamics Software Engineer to lead the Mission Planning Platform. You will own workstreams end-to-end—from architecture to production deployment—covering orbit determination, maneuver planning, and constellation-scale automation, while mentoring junior engineers.

You will collaborate across teams, drive design decisions, support on-orbit propulsion operations, and help evolve the OD pipeline with advanced methods.