Senior Reliability Engineer, Technical Lead

About the role

Muon seeks a Senior Reliability Engineer to serve as the technical lead of the reliability vertical within our Hardware Reliability & Test organization. You'll own how Muon predicts, measures, and improves hardware reliability- building out and standardizing the models, methods, and practices that ensure our constellations keep delivering mission-critical data. The role reports to the Senior Manager of Hardware Reliability & Test.

This is a build-and-lead opportunity: reliability practice at Muon today lives within individual hardware teams, and you'll be the one to unify it. The role carries substantial growth potential as the vertical expands, including a path into people management for the right candidate.

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

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve Muon's quantitative reliability models from component failure rates through system-level availability
• Build and standardize reliability methods across hardware teams: FMEA/FMECA, fault trees, and single-point-failure analysis
• Partner with domain experts across the hardware org to establish common part-level reliability standards including derating guidelines, COTS screening philosophy, and radiation-tolerance approach, capturing and codifying their expertise
• Identify gaps in test coverage and reliability data, and help drive the tests that close them- partnering with qualification and test teams on test conditions, sample sizes, and life-test strategies
• Close the loop with the fleet: use on-orbit performance data and anomalies to refine models and drive design guidance
• Embed reliability into the hardware lifecycle by partnering with design teams on design reviews, worst-case analyses, and qualification planning
• Communicate Muon's reliability posture to leadership and customers, and support proposals with reliability analyses
• Mentor engineers across teams on reliability methods, laying the foundation for a growing reliability function

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of engineering experience with complex, high-reliability hardware, including 5+ years in reliability engineering
• Strong command of reliability analysis methods: FMEA/FMECA, fault trees, statistical reliability modeling, and derating analysis
• Experience applying industry reliability standards (e.g., MIL-HDBK-217, ECSS, AEC-Q, or similar)
• Demonstrated ability to turn test and field data into failure-rate estimates and actionable design recommendations
• Statistical fluency: Weibull analysis, confidence bounds, accelerated life testing with supporting tools (Python, R, or dedicated reliability software)
• Proven ability to define processes and drive consistency across multiple engineering teams
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• B.S. or higher in Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering, or related field

Nice-to-have Skills

• Spacecraft or satellite reliability experience, including radiation effects on electronics
• On-orbit anomaly investigation or FRACAS experience
• Experience with reliability approaches for COTS-based space hardware
• Experience with reliability software tools (ReliaSoft, Relyence, or similar)
• Experience standing up new processes or functions within an engineering organization
• Technical leadership or mentoring experience

Salary

The salary range for this role is $216,000 - $236,000, 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.