---
title: 'Senior Payload Design Engineer at Interstellar Lab'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-payload-design-engineer-interstellar-lab-in-person-paris-france-m8vw5tv8bs6d'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-12'
---

# Senior Payload Design Engineer at Interstellar Lab

- **Company:** Interstellar Lab
- **Location:** In-Person Paris France, OR
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2025-10-14
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-12
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/interstellarlab/jobs/7497324003

## Job description

Senior Payload Design Engineer Full-time In-person or hybrid

At Interstellar Lab, our mission is to build a future full of life, on Earth and beyond. We believe in a world where technology enables humans to live in harmony with nature, where biodiversity thrives and expands, and where terrestrial life becomes multi-planetary.

To build this future, we design autonomous biospheric systems to grow plants with precision, on Earth and in Space. Our AI-powered BioPods and BioCapsules leverage biosciences to reproduce and optimize growth conditions for a wide variety of high-value plants.

On Earth, we pioneer molecular and biofarming, boosting the production of metabolites and bioactive compounds while offering sustainable, traceable, and high-quality natural ingredients to the beauty, fragrance, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries.

In space, we collaborate with agencies and private companies to develop biofarming units that advance life science research in microgravity and lay the foundation for future biofactories in space, enabling innovative terrestrial applications and long-duration space missions.

## About the Role

As Senior Payload Design Engineer, you will be responsible for the design, development, and integration of experimental payloads for near-Earth and orbital missions, including our current collaboration with VAST. The role spans concept definition, mechanical and systems design, testing, and mission operations. Working with mechanical, electrical, and software engineers, you will ensure that payloads meet mission objectives, safety requirements, and performance targets. This position is suited for engineers experienced with institutional or commercial space programs who thrive in fast-paced, cross-disciplinary environments.

## Responsibilities

- Lead payload design and integration from concept to flight operations
- Define and manage system and interface requirements across disciplines
- Conduct testing, verification, and validation of flight hardware
- Support mission planning and coordination with launch providers
- Ensure compliance with commercial spaceflight and safety standards
- Resolve technical issues during assembly and qualification phases
- Maintain technical documentation, reports, and configuration updates
- Participate in design reviews and continuous system optimization

Profile / Qualifications

- Master’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or systems engineering
- 6+ years of experience in payload or flight hardware design for space missions
- Strong understanding of mechanical and fluidic systems, structures, and electronics packaging
- Proficiency in 3D CAD modeling and assembly management
- Knowledge of testing, qualification, and certification standards for spaceflight
- Experience in payload integration and mission coordination with launch providers
- Excellent communication and cross-functional teamwork skills
- Prior experience with NASA, ESA, or commercial programs such as SpaceX or Blue Origin preferred

## Equal Opportunity

Interstellar Lab is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Interstellar Lab does not discriminate on the basis of race, regional color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

## About Interstellar Lab

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Interstellar Lab develops AI-driven biospheric systems (BioPods) that autonomously cultivate plants on Earth and in Space, targeting higher yields and resource efficiency.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed / Series A stage; total funding ~$8.9M–$19.75M per conflicting reports)
- **Headquarters**: Paris, France (also operates from Cape Canaveral, USA)
- **Founded**: 2018
- **Founders**: Barbara Belvisi

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Controlled Environment Agriculture, Space Agriculture, Biotechnology, AI-driven hardware
- **Target customers**: B2B – botanicals, cosmetics, food & beverage, and space agencies (NASA, private space stations)
- **Mission or purpose**: “Preserve life on Earth and expand it to Space” – building intelligent ecosystems for autonomous plant growth.

## Products & Services
- **BioPod**: AI-controlled modular greenhouse system that adapts temperature, humidity, atmosphere, light, irrigation, and nutrients for any plant species. Used on Earth for commercial ingredient production and in space for research and food production.
- **Bioquark** (in partnership with NASA): Compact biospheric system designed for crewed space missions, recognized as the best plant production system for long-duration missions during the Deep Space Food Challenge.
- **Platform/Software**: Combines AI, hardware, and plant science to automate cultivation with minimal human intervention, achieving up to 15x yield improvements.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company, no recent valuation reported)
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue ~$4.5M (per LinkedIn); Total Funding $8.95M (LinkedIn) / $19.75M (CB Insights, includes multiple rounds)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: 7Percent, Waterpoint Lane, DVx Ventures, Stellar Ventures, Deep Space Food Challenge, and 20+ other investors. Partners include NASA, L’Oréal, Robertet, dsm-firmenich.
- **Growth Signals**: 42 team members (per website, though LinkedIn shows 40 with -16.7% YoY change); operates in 9 countries; secured NASA recognition; works with private space stations for BioPod integration; has raised multiple funding rounds (most recent Unattributed VC ~$7.2M in 2024).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary AI + Hardware + Plant Science** integration that automates biospheric conditions for any species, reducing human intervention drastically.
- **NASA-backed** space agriculture solution – rare endorsement and path to off-planet deployment.
- **Demonstrated yield improvements** (up to 15x) with lower resource consumption, appealing to high-value botanical ingredient buyers (cosmetics, pharma).
- **End-to-end platform** from hardware to software analytics, creating a moat in the controlled-environment agriculture + space tech overlap.

## Strategic Focus
- Scale commercial deployment of BioPods for Earth-based ingredient production (beauty, health, food).
- Advance Bioquark for crewed space missions (NASA, SpaceX, Axiom, etc.).
- Expand biospheric research capabilities (fungi, microorganisms) and AI-driven growth optimization.
- Grow headcount and geographic presence, especially in US and France.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, designers, and builders – “united by passion for nature and space exploration.” Mission-driven work with tangible impact on biodiversity and space colonization.
- **Remote/Hybrid/Office**: Hybrid options available; in-person roles in Paris (France) and Cape Canaveral (USA). Some remote roles possible.
- **Notable Perks/Engineering Culture**: Small, agile team (25-42 people); hands-on experience with AI, hardware, and plant science; direct collaboration with NASA and top cosmetic companies; opportunity to work on both Earth and Space projects.
- **Employee Ratings**: 2.9/5.0 on LinkedIn (17 reviews) – mixed; Work-Life 3.0, Compensation 3.3, Culture 3.1, Career 3.0.
- **Recent Job Openings**: Senior Payload Design Engineer, Senior Electronic Engineer, Mid-level Full Stack Developer, VP of Sales, Marketing Assistant, Maintenance Technician (all based in Paris or New York).

## Sources
1. [interstellarlab.com](https://interstellarlab.com/)
2. [interstellarlab.com/mission](https://interstellarlab.com/mission)
3. [LinkedIn Company Page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/interstellar-lab)
4. [CB Insights Company Profile](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/interstellar-lab)
5. [Greenhouse Careers Page](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/interstellarlab)

## Other roles at Interstellar Lab

- [VP of Sales (with path to Chief Commercial Officer)](https://feeny.ai/job/vp-of-sales-with-path-to-chief-commercial-officer-interstellar-lab-new-york-wyhwhzapsyzp) — New York, NY
- [Technicien·ne de Maintenance – Systèmes de climatisation et systèmes critiques](https://feeny.ai/job/technicien-ne-de-maintenance-systemes-de-climatisation-et-systemes-critiques-ts24jbc0bjyn) — Paris, France
- [VP of Sales (with path to Chief Commercial Officer)](https://feeny.ai/job/vp-of-sales-with-path-to-chief-commercial-officer-interstellar-lab-new-york-wsr28vw73jw8) — New York, NY
- [Senior Electronic Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-electronic-engineer-interstellar-lab-paris-7q1d9bm7pezb) — Paris, France
- [Senior Mechanical Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-design-engineer-interstellar-lab-paris-essb2b99hfp1) — Paris, France
- [Mid-level Full Stack Developer](https://feeny.ai/job/mid-level-full-stack-developer-interstellar-lab-paris-paj1pqyeees1) — Paris, France
- [Senior Thermal and Fluidics Systems Engineer (CEA)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-thermal-and-fluidics-systems-engineer-cea-interstellar-lab-paris-9arrkwax8jfv) — Paris, France
- [Marketing & Communication Assistant (Media, PR, Social Media, Events)](https://feeny.ai/job/marketing-communication-assistant-media-pr-social-media-events-interstellar-lab-3ktwvs3mcht7) — Paris, France