Senior Software Engineer, Hardware Test

About the role

Muon seeks a Senior Software Engineer to join our Hardware Reliability & Test organization as the technical lead for our hardware test frameworks - the software, standards, results databases, and tooling used to test Muon hardware from module level through fully assembled spacecraft. The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineer who bridges hardware and software: equally comfortable architecting clean Python frameworks and debugging test instruments at the bench.

This position is hybrid and requires working on-site in our San Jose, CA office three days per week.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical lead for Muon's hardware test frameworks: own architecture, standards, and the technical roadmap
• Design and build Python-based test frameworks and tooling used from module-level through fully assembled spacecraft testing
• Write drivers and abstractions for test instruments and ground support equipment (power supplies, DAQs, oscilloscopes, environmental chambers, RF test equipment)
• Architect test results databases and user interfaces, selecting the right technologies for Muon's scale
• Build standard, shared spacecraft-level tests that can be tailored per mission
• Partner with subsystem, bus, and test teams to drive framework adoption, supporting and training users
• Integrate test frameworks with CI/CD and hardware-in-the-loop infrastructure for automated regression testing
• Mentor engineers and set the bar for code quality across hardware test software

Qualifications

• Experience developing software that controls and tests physical hardware, including writing drivers for test instruments (e.g., VISA/SCPI, serial, CAN, or Ethernet-based)
• B.S. in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or a related technical field
• 8+ years of software engineering experience, with demonstrated technical leadership of complex, multi-engineer projects
• Expert-level Python, including designing frameworks or libraries adopted by other engineering teams
• Working knowledge of electronics and lab test equipment; comfortable debugging at the bench
• Experience with databases and building tooling and user interfaces
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Excited to work in a fast-paced environment with new challenges each week

Nice-to-have Skills

• Experience testing spacecraft, launch vehicles, or other aerospace hardware
• Experience with reading & modifying embedded C/C++ applications
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop simulation or production/acceptance test systems
• Familiarity with pytest or similar frameworks as a foundation for hardware test
• Experience with results/time-series databases and dashboarding tools (e.g., SQL, InfluxDB, Grafana)

Salary

The salary range for this role is $213,000 - $237,000, plus a competitive equity grant and comprehensive benefits package. Final compensation will be determined based on skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic location as assessed during the interview process.

Muon is currently registered and able to hire in the following states

AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IA, ID, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA

ITAR/EAR Requirements

This position requires access to export controlled information.

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations applicable to that information, applicant must either be (A) a U.S. person, defined as a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, (B) eligible to access the export controlled information without a required export authorization, or (C) eligible and reasonably likely to obtain the required export authorization from the applicable U.S. government agency.

The Company may, for legitimate business reasons, decline to pursue any export licensing process.