How to apply for Senior Program Manager, Microwave

About Muon Space

Muon Space builds Earth-sensing satellite technology aimed at climate action. The company works with U.S. Government and commercial organizations to deliver satellite solutions. This is a chance to work on hardware and programs tied to climate and government contracts.

About the role

This role leads the Microwave Program within the Mission Engineering team. You own cost and schedule baselines for government and commercial contracts, run day-to-day execution of a multidisciplinary aerospace effort, and support business growth through proposals and RFI responses. You work across engineering, business, legal, finance, and operations.

A typical day

A typical day includes tracking cost and schedule against a program baseline, meeting with engineering and operations on execution issues, and coordinating with finance and legal on contract matters. You may also work on a proposal or RFI response and engage with a government or commercial customer. Ask the hiring team how the week splits between execution, customer engagement, and capture work.

Who Muon Space is looking for

• Has led multidisciplinary aerospace or satellite hardware development programs end to end, including day-to-day execution.
• Has managed cost and schedule baselines on U.S. Government contracts and commercial contracts.
• Has experience with microwave or RF payloads, sensors, or related space hardware.
• Has supported business development through proposals, RFI responses, and customer engagement, and can grow existing contracts.
• Can work a hybrid schedule in San Jose three days per week, or from an approved remote location.

Tips for this application

• Name specific U.S. Government contracts you managed and the contract types (for example cost-plus or firm-fixed-price), since the role owns cost and schedule baselines with government and commercial customers.
• Quantify program outcomes: budget size, schedule duration, team size, and whether you delivered on time and on budget.
• Show microwave or RF domain experience directly. If you lack it, state how you ramped on a comparable technical payload.
• Address the hybrid San Jose requirement or your approved remote location up front so the logistics are clear.
• List proposal and RFI work you contributed to, since the role includes organic growth and capture support, not just execution.

What to cover in your cover letter

Lead with a specific program you delivered for a U.S. Government customer, including cost and schedule results. Explain your microwave or RF payload experience and how it applies to Muon's satellite work. Describe how you coordinated engineering, finance, legal, and operations on one program. Include a concrete example of organic growth or a proposal you helped win.

Research before applying

• Muon Space's satellite programs and which ones involve microwave or RF payloads.
• The U.S. Government contracts Muon holds and the agencies involved.
• Muon's Mission Engineering team and how program management fits into it.
• The company's stated climate and Earth-sensing goals and how the Microwave Program supports them.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you build and track a cost and schedule baseline on a government contract, and what you do when it slips.
• A specific multidisciplinary aerospace program you led and how you ran day-to-day execution across teams.
• Your hands-on microwave or RF payload knowledge and where you would need to learn more.
• How you have supported proposals, RFI responses, and organic growth on existing contracts.
• How you work with engineering, finance, legal, and operations when priorities conflict.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without any government contract experience, since the role owns cost and schedule baselines with U.S. Government customers.
• Ignoring the hybrid San Jose requirement or failing to state a remote location that is approved.
• Treating this as a pure delivery role and leaving out proposal, RFI, or organic growth experience.