Software Engineer, Computer Vision / Image Processing

About the role

Muon Space is expanding its High Performance Compute (HPC) team to accelerate mission-critical data products and unlock a growing pipeline of image processing and ML workloads across ground and flight systems.

This role works directly with the team that produces our image data products. You'll take the most expensive stages of our imaging pipelines, including bundle adjustment, orthorectification, image I/O and reprojection, and re-implement them as high-throughput, low-latency services, with hardware acceleration where possible. This is a hands-on implementation role for a classical imaging specialist who wants to see their algorithms running in production at scale.

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

Responsibilities

• Implement and re-implement expensive imaging-pipeline stages in performant C++, including bundle adjustment, orthorectification, and image format handling, and expose them cleanly to Python.
• Drive down IR Data Product pipeline latency by replacing expensive stages with optimized implementations (e.g. GPU-based orthorectification), and extend the same approach to other imaging data product and missions.
• Work with the image data products team to identify the highest value stages to port from Python to C++/GPU and drive the migrations to completion and success.
• Contribute to high-performance reference algorithms and benchmark them.
• Partner with the HPC GPU specialists where workloads benefit from GPU acceleration.
• Own verification and validation, including unit, integration, and performance regression tests in CI.
• Produce clear designs, trade studies, and interface documentation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Applied Math, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of professional experience developing performance-critical C++ software in production.
• Expert-level C++, with deep familiarity with memory management, concurrency, and performance-oriented programming.
• Hands-on experience with bundle adjustment, orthorectification, and common image and geospatial formats.
• Demonstrated experience building high-throughput, low-latency image-processing services.
• Experience integrating C++ components into Python pipelines.
• Strong Python skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication and ability to lead and conclude cross-functional technical discussions.
• Ability and willingness to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. Active clearance is a plus.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• CUDA, especially for image-processing kernels.
• Photogrammetry or remote-sensing background.
• High-throughput data movement (zero-copy buffers, RDMA, shared memory).
• CI/CD for containerized workloads, including performance regression testing.
• Direct exposure to space, aerospace, or other mission-critical software environments.

Salary

The salary range for this role is $190,000 - $212,000, 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. 

About Muon Space

Founded in 2021, Muon Space is an end-to-end Space Systems Provider that designs, builds, and operates LEO satellite constellations delivering mission-critical data. Our revolutionary, integrated technology stack enables customers to optimize every dimension of their missions for faster time-to-orbit and superior constellation remote sensing performance. Our state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Silicon Valley is optimized for manufacturing spacecraft and rapid, flexible payload integration at scale. From climate monitoring to national security, Muon Space is dedicated to delivering Earth Intelligence for a safer and more resilient world.

Taking Care of Our Team

At Muon salary is only part of our total compensation package. In addition to salary, full-time employees receive equity compensation as well as benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401k retirement plan, short & long term disability and life insurance. We also offer three weeks paid vacation for new employees, along with 12 paid holidays, unlimited sick time and paid parental leave. 

Our mission embraces the entire planet and we believe our team should too.  Muon is dedicated to creating a diverse and dynamic company and workforce. We believe in equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, age, national origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or gender identity. We value diversity in the workplace, and that starts with our applicants. We encourage you to apply, even if you don't check all the boxes, and we look forward to reviewing your application! In addition, if you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

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.