Senior Mission Formulation Lead - RF/Comms

muonspace; United States; Remote; USD 144,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental coverage

Vision plan

401(k)

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Paid vacation

Paid holidays

Sick leave

Parental leave

Job summary

Muonspace seeks a senior leader to drive the earliest stages of new business in the RF and communications satellite domain. This role blends scientific rigor with strategic capture work to identify, shape, and win high-value mission opportunities across defense, intelligence, philanthropic, and commercial customers.

The role leads cross-functional teams, runs strategic capture campaigns, and author technical proposals while translating customer needs into technical concepts and R&D roadmaps for

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in physics, engineering, remote sensing, CS or related field.
• 5+ years in RF remote sensing or communications missions in leadership roles.
• Ability to decompose objectives into technical concepts and solutions.
• Background in RF payload phenomenologies for remote sensing or communications.
• Experience across government and commercial RF/space markets.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; distill complex science for varied audiences.
• Collaborative experience across engineering, operations, mission architecture, and business development.
• Existing TS/SCI clearance or ability to obtain one.

Responsibilities

• Lead mission formulation contracts and shepherd cross-functional teams delivering mission concepts in RF/Comms.
• Run strategic capture campaigns for high-value opportunities in RF remote sensing and related markets.
• Drive multi-stage programs from early customer engagement through design concepts to delivery.
• Serve as Principal Investigator on early-stage R&D proposals and activities.
• Author technical proposals, white papers, and concept studies communicating mission value.
• Conduct feasibility studies, literature reviews, and trade studies for early concepts.
• Translate customer pain points into technical requirements and conceptual solutions.
• Partner with product management, business development, and engineering to explore new markets.

Skills

First-principles thinking

Leadership experience

RF remote sensing

Technical writing

Education

Physics/Engineering/CS degree

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Julia

Job description

Role overview

This senior role drives the earliest stages of new business in the RF and communications satellite domain, combining scientific rigor with strategic capture work. The position bridges technical teams and business development to identify, shape, and win high-value mission opportunities spanning defense, intelligence, philanthropic, and commercial customers.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of mission formulation contracts and shepherd cross-functional teams delivering mission concepts in the RF and Comms domain.
• Run strategic capture campaigns for high-value opportunities across government and commercial RF remote sensing markets.
• Drive complex, multi-stage programs from early customer engagement through design concepts, experiments, and delivery.
• Serve as Principal Investigator on early-stage R&D proposals and activities.
• Author technical proposals, white papers, and concept studies that communicate mission value and shape R&D roadmaps.
• Conduct feasibility studies, literature reviews, and trade studies for early-stage mission, instrument, and data concepts.
• Translate customer pain points into technical requirements and conceptual solutions through discovery engagements.
• Partner with product management, business development, and engineering to identify and develop new markets and technologies.

Requirements

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Physics, Engineering, Remote Sensing, Computer Science, or a closely related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in RF remote sensing or communications missions in technical or programmatic leadership roles.
• First-principles mindset with the ability to decompose mission objectives into technical concepts and solutions.
• Background in passive and/or active RF payload phenomenologies applied to remote sensing or communications.
• Experience spanning RF/Comms space missions across government and commercial markets.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to distill complex science for varied audiences.
• Demonstrated success working across engineering, operations, mission architecture, and business development.
• Existing TS/SCI clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.

Nice to have

• Programming proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or Julia for mission analysis and concept development.
• Familiarity with early-stage business development and discovery workflows.
• Training or experience in strategic planning, roadmapping, or scenario planning.
• Familiarity with satellite remote sensing systems.

Benefits and work setup

• Salary range $144,000–$200,000 plus incentive compensation, equity, and a benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, a 401(k), short- and long-term disability, life insurance, three weeks of paid vacation, 12 paid holidays, unlimited sick time, and paid parental leave.