Staff Software Engineer, Onboard Compute Architecture
Muon Space2 months ago
Base Salary
$210k - $234k/yr
Responsibilities
- Own the software, data-flow, and computation architecture and design process for onboard high-performance compute.
- Drive end-to-end requirements and design alignment with Electrical Engineering and Product teams.
- Gather architectural requirements across payload, mission operations, program management, and future mission concepts and translate them into a compute roadmap.
- Unify architectural concepts into a coherent, documented company-wide HPC architecture.
- Align FPGA, GPU, CPU, onboard networking, timing, data flows, processing pipelines, and compute partitioning across disciplines.
- Define modular, configurable, network-first compute components that can be reused across mission-specific spacecraft configurations.
- Partner with Electrical Engineering to ensure architecture decisions can be implemented through silicon procurement, PCB and module design, and harness design.
- Communicate architecture through diagrams, design documents, white papers, and technical talks for technical and executive audiences.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, plus 7+ years of professional experience in system-level or compute-platform architecture and implementation.
- Deep hands-on implementation experience across software, API design, FPGA programming, GPU programming, or low-level networking software.
- Proven experience architecting heterogeneous compute systems combining FPGA, GPU, and CPU elements, ideally in embedded, aerospace, or high-performance edge environments.
- Deep understanding of onboard networking and data-flow architectures, including Ethernet, DMA, zero-copy, and real-time streaming pipelines.
- Demonstrated ability to drive cross-team architectural consensus across hardware, firmware, and software disciplines.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including producing architecture documents and roadmap materials for technical and executive audiences.
- Ability and willingness to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance; active clearance is a plus.
- Nice-to-have experience includes spacecraft avionics, payload compute, space-grade FPGA/GPU platforms, Ethernet or SpaceWire, modular mission-configurable compute platforms, safety- or mission-critical development processes, and architectural white papers or public technical publications.
Benefits
- Hybrid work arrangement requiring on-site work in the San Jose, California office three days per week.
- Equity compensation and comprehensive benefits package.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- 401(k) retirement plan, short- and long-term disability insurance, and life insurance.
- Three weeks of paid vacation for new employees, 12 paid holidays, unlimited sick time, and paid parental leave.
Categories
About Muon Space
Muon Space designs, builds, and operates low Earth orbit satellite constellations and a software stack that deliver Earth intelligence and in-orbit compute for government, defense, and commercial users. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, the privately held company sells spacecraft, payload integration, and data services. It runs a San Jose production facility capable of building up to 500 satellites in the 100–500+ kg class annually and has acquired propulsion startup Starlight Engines.