Instrument Development Engineer

About the role

Muon Space seeks an Instrument Development Engineer to join our team in Mountain View, CA, supporting the production of infrared remote sensing instruments. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated engineer with a versatile skill set who is comfortable working across many layers of technical depth from individual components through system level. In this role, you will own all mechanism subsystems within the infrared instruments, including scanners and cryocoolers, across multiple programs. Previous experience with thermal vacuum and vibration testing and collaborating with engineering teams to refine designs for manufacturing and assembly processes is preferred. This position has significant lab and hands-on work and will be located at our office in Mountain View, CA.

Responsibilities

• Own moving mechanism assemblies, including design and analysis, component sizing, subsystem assembly, performance characterization, and lifetime testing. • Own Design for Manufacturing/Assembly (DFM/DFA) efforts to support continuous improvement and volume production. • Support control algorithm development and tuning, in collaboration with cross-functional teams. • Support subsystem and instrument-level testing, including environmental (vibration, thermal-vacuum (TVAC) testing) and system characterization/V&V. • Contribute to the continuous development of best practices, processes, tools, and methodologies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in mechanisms development. • Collaborate and communicate effectively with subsystem engineers and analysts, instrument and spacecraft systems engineers, AI&T and production teams, and program managers.

Qualifications

B.S, M.S., or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience. 5+ years of hands-on experience in a multi-disciplinary aerospace hardware environment. Experience with system integration and delivery of complex hardware/software systems. Experience driving right-sized trade studies and identifying system solutions. Experience working with precision optical and mechanical metrology equipment, including autocollimators and dynamometers. Experience with root cause analysis efforts including data analysis and testing. Excellent communication, presentation, and organization skills. Excited to work in a fast-paced environment with new challenges each week. Willingness to obtain a US security clearance strongly preferred.

Nice-to-have Skills

• Experience with optomechanical subsystem concepts and trade studies, design and analysis, including STOP (FEA, Sigfit, Zemax) analysis, tolerance stackups, and alignment planning for infrared imaging systems. • Basic software/scripting skills for data analysis or equipment automation (e.g., Python, C/C++). • Experience working in cleanroom environments.

Salary

The salary range for this role is $184,000 - $202,000 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.