--- title: 'Senior Propulsion Systems Engineer at ispace, inc.' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-propulsion-systems-engineer-ispace-inc-tokyo-fgtdtdyc1trp' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-08' --- # Senior Propulsion Systems Engineer at ispace, inc. - **Company:** ispace, inc. - **Location:** Tokyo, Japan - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** hybrid - **Posted:** 2026-07-02 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08 - **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/ispace-inc/4e00d4df-d358-44ff-a91b-5b2a5d85222a ## Job description ispace is seeking a highly motivated and talented Senior Propulsion Systems Engineer to join the System Design Group under the Global Design division, responsible for the design and development of lunar landers and other transportation and/or communication/navigation platforms. The ideal candidate will have in-depth experience on Propulsion design, implementation, integration, V&V and operations, good technical knowledge of multiple spacecraft subsystems and experience in the system engineering disciplines for spacecraft design. This is a unique opportunity to join a truly fascinating project, the first stage of ispace’s plans to perform resource prospecting on the moon. In this position, you will be assigned to one or more of ispace's projects, and join a small, international team of engineers working towards the detailed design and qualification of our first missions. Candidates with demonstrated "hands-on" experience in some engineering domains, interdisciplinary experience and in-depth understanding of propulsion subsystems . Teamwork is valued, and depending on the strengths of each member of the systems engineering team, the responsibilities listed below will be assigned accordingly. ## Key responsibilities - Support the definition of a “product baseline”, creating standard requirements, system architecture, ICDs, design and analysis goals, test plans and operations concepts. - Perform system level trade-offs, coordinating inputs from various disciplines within the team, to evaluate any proposed changes of the design baseline to satisfy the need of each individual mission. - Take ownership of the technical budgets, such as mass, propellant budget, pointing/landing accuracy for spacecraft performance. - Ensure internal interfaces between various spacecraft subsystems are maintained. - Contribute to requirements management ensuring all requirements are closed-out at the planned project landmarks. - Contribute to risk assessments during the spacecraft development and support the Project Manager in defining risk mitigation plans - Support Propulsion/AIT/Flight&Test Operations Groups and subsystem leads in defining test plans (i.e. ) and specifications which will successfully verify the spacecraft design. - Coordinate efforts between relevant subsystems and Operations Team in defining a spacecraft operational concept. - Contribute to the maintenance of our Model-Based Systems Engineering tools, esp. developing Propulsion-related models. Required skills - Bachelor or Masters degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace Engineering or equivalent - 5+ years of experience in at least two of the following: design, implementation, integration, V&V or operations of Propulsion subsystem - Experience with programming languages such as Matlab, Python, or equivalent - Self-motivated and comfortable making key decisions within a fast-paced environment - High sense of accountability and ownership - Excellent presentation skills, both verbally and written. Enthusiastic attitude and team player - Working level in English ## Preferred skills - Experience with design, analysis or testing of at least one other subsystem: Structure, Thermal, Avionics, GNC, Communications, on-board software. - Experience with requirement decomposition (mission all the way to unit level) - Experience performing FMECA, reliability analysis, and/or hazard analysis - Experience with system level testing such as hardware-in-the-loop testing, waterflow testing, etc. - ## Experience with spacecraft operations - Working level Japanese We will prioritize candidates currently in Japan with valid working visa. For overseas candidates, please note that you choose to proceed, this role requires relocation to Japan upon acceptance of the position. Compensation will be provided in JPY and aligned with local market benchmarks in Japan, based on the role’s level, scope, and prevailing industry standards. ## About ispace, inc. ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: ispace is a global lunar exploration company developing high-frequency, low-cost transportation services to the Moon and building the foundation for a sustainable cislunar economy. - **Entity Type**: Public (listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2023) - **Headquarters**: Tokyo, Japan (with offices in Denver, Colorado, USA and Luxembourg) - **Founded**: September 2010 - **Founders**: Takeshi Hakamada (Founder & CEO) ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Space exploration / Lunar transportation services - **Target customers**: B2B (space agencies, commercial payload operators, research organizations) - **Mission**: “Extend the sphere of human life into space and create a sustainable world by providing high-frequency, low-cost transportation services to the Moon.” ## Products & Services - **Lunar Lander Missions**: ispace designs, builds and operates robotic lunar landers. Current missions include “Mission 2.5” and the upcoming “Mission 3” featuring the new larger ULTRA lander. - **Payload Development & Integration**: Offers payload hosting and development services for lunar orbiting and landing missions. - **Lunar Surface Data**: Sale and survey of Moon surface data for research and commercial use. - **Space Resource R&D**: Research and development focused on utilizing lunar water resources. - **Marketing Support**: Supports space content industries with marketing services related to lunar activities. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed in provided sources (publicly listed, market cap fluctuates) - **Key Metric**: Total funding record – raised a record 10.35 billion yen in Series A in 2017 (private round). As a public company, revenue is reported but not listed in these materials. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: The company evolved from Team HAKUTO, a finalist in the Google Lunar XPRIZE. Global presence includes ispace technologies U.S. inc. and ispace Europe SA. - **Growth Signals**: - 317 employees as of March 31, 2025 - First Japanese space company to list on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (2023) - Multiple missions in the pipeline (Mission 2.5, Mission 3 with ULTRA lander) - Global offices in Japan, USA, and Luxembourg ## Competitive Advantages - **Early mover in commercial lunar services**: One of the few private companies with flight heritage (first mission launched in 2022). - **End‑to‑end lunar transportation**: Offers landers, payload integration, and data services – a vertically integrated lunar logistics provider. - **Global footprint**: Engineering and business presence across three continents enables access to diverse customers and talent. - **Heritage from Google Lunar XPRIZE**: Team HAKUTO experience provides technical and operational credibility. ## Strategic Focus ispace is focused on achieving high‑frequency, low‑cost lunar transportation to construct an Earth‑Moon economic zone. Key priorities include: - Launching Mission 2.5 and the larger ULTRA lander on Mission 3 - Developing space resource utilization (especially water on the Moon) - Expanding payload and data services to support a growing cislunar infrastructure - Scaling globally through its offices in Japan, the US, and Europe ## Why Work Here - **Diverse, inclusive culture**: As of December 2025, ispace reports ~24% non‑Japanese nationality and ~45% Japanese nationality, reflecting a commitment to global diversity. - **Mission‑driven team**: “Driven by a shared passion, our Crew of engineers, scientists and experts are shaping the future of space.” - **Work options**: Roles range from on‑site (Tokyo, Denver, Luxembourg) to hybrid (Tokyo CFO Office). Engineering roles include R&D, propulsion, GNC, and spacecraft systems. - **Fast‑growing organization**: 317 employees and growing, with a clear trajectory of missions and revenue expansion. - **Perks & culture**: Emphasis on inclusive hiring, professional development, and equitable pay; “true innovation comes when diverse viewpoints collaborate as equals.” ## Sources 1. [ispace Home Page](https://www.ispace-inc.com/) 2. [About Us – ispace](https://2022.ispace-inc.com/aboutus) 3. [Careers – ispace](https://www.ispace-inc.com/careers/) 4. [Career Overview – ispace](https://www.ispace-inc.com/career-overview/) 5. 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