<h2><strong>About the role</strong></h2> <p>Muon Space seeks a Senior Program Manager to lead the development, demonstration, and productization of secure data-handling capabilities for our satellite platforms. This work directly expands the set of national-security missions Muon can pursue and execute — the Program Manager owns both the program's execution and its transition into active proposals and funded flight programs.</p> <p>This is a hands-on role at the intersection of hardware development, embedded firmware, security engineering, and government mission capture. It is a technical program management position: the right candidate contributes directly to the engineering — architecture, design, analysis, and test — as a working member of the team, not just its coordinator. The Program Manager is the single accountable owner for cost, schedule, and technical performance across the program's parallel swimlanes: cryptographic hardware carrier development, hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testbed build-out, end-to-end encrypted data-path demonstration (ground-to-flight and flight-to-ground), and proposal-ready design artifacts for upcoming government opportunities. Because the team is small and senior, the PM does their own scheduling, cost tracking, and program control — there is no supporting program office.</p> <p class="p1">This position is hybrid and requires working on-site in our San Jose, CA office three days per week.</p> <h2><strong>Responsibilities</strong></h2> <ul> <li><strong>Program Execution</strong> <ul> <li>Own the integrated master schedule, cost baseline, and risk register for the program</li> <li>Drive the program through design reviews, hardware build and integration, test campaigns, and demonstration milestones — meeting all internal and customer commitments</li> <li>Run the weekly program cadence; make decisions with incomplete information at startup pace and escalate crisply when needed</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Security and Compliance</strong> <ul> <li>Own the program's security and compliance posture, including controlled-material handling and coordination with government security processes and certification requirements</li> <li>Ensure all execution complies with ITAR/EAR export controls and U.S.-only performance requirements</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Technical Contribution and Cross-Functional Leadership</strong> <ul> <li>Contribute directly to the engineering and design of the system — architecture and trade studies, requirements development, design analysis, and hands-on support of integration and test</li> <li>Partner closely with the Mission Manager, Chief Engineer, and cross-disciplinary technical leads to drive technical decision-making</li> <li>Own configuration control and drive resolution of cross-functional issues quickly, escalating to program leadership when needed</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Capture and Proposal Support</strong> <ul> <li>Support active proposal and capture efforts with technical artifacts and cost and schedule inputs, without derailing baseline execution</li> <li>Partner with Business Development, Capture, and Product teams on transitioning the capability into funded flight programs</li> <li>Represent the program in customer and partner technical exchanges</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h2><strong>Required Qualifications</strong></h2> <ul> <li>6+ years of professional experience in program management of complex technical system development spanning hardware and software</li> <li>5+ years of hands-on engineering experience (electrical, embedded systems, mechanical, RF/communications, or similar), with the ability and desire to contribute directly to design, analysis, and test while leading the program</li> <li>Direct experience with space, defense, or aerospace programs that handle CUI or classified data</li> <li>Demonstrated ownership of a board- or box-level hardware development effort through design reviews to a working, tested product</li> <li>Experience leading testbed, HITL, or ground-segment development and running structured verification or demonstration campaigns</li> <li>Working understanding of secure communications concepts — Type 1 encryption, Red/Black separation, key management — and their program-level implications (certification timelines, custody requirements, cleared-personnel constraints)</li> <li>Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret clearance</li> <li>U.S. Citizenship required (program is ITAR-restricted)</li> <li>Excellent written communication skills — you will author or approve design review packages, test plans and results, and customer-facing technical artifacts</li> </ul> <h2><strong>Preferred Qualifications</strong></h2> <ul> <li>Active Secret or TS/SCI clearance</li> <li>Prior experience integrating NSA Type 1 cryptographic units (e.g., HAIPE-class devices) or managing COMSEC/CCI on a flight program</li> <li>Direct experience working with SDA, NRO, USSF Space Systems Command, or similar customer offices</li> <li>Familiarity with embedded firmware and FPGA development lifecycles — board bring-up, driver development, DITL testing</li> <li>Experience running IR&D or capability-development programs whose artifacts feed concurrent proposals and captures</li> <li>Experience supporting classified proposal development and color-team reviews</li> <li>PMP certification or equivalent progr