Senior Mission Assurance Engineer

At ispace U.S., we’re not just going to the Moon - we’re redefining how we get there. Our missions push the boundaries of human and robotic exploration, driven by our belief: “Expand our Planet. Expand our Future.” By providing cost-effective lunar transportation, we are pioneering a future where space is within reach for scientific discovery, commercial ventures, and sustainable exploration.

With locations in Japan, Luxembourg, and the United States, ispace is rapidly growing and leading the way in lunar exploration and development. Our U.S. branch is based in Englewood, Colorado, and focuses on high-capacity payload lunar landers designed to support future lunar missions.

Our team is made up of innovators, problem-solvers, and visionaries committed to making space more accessible and fostering the next generation of space exploration. Let’s go to the Moon together! Our team is growing, and we are actively seeking talented individuals who share our passion for space. At ispaceUS, we are advancing the technologies and capabilities that will enable a sustainable future in space.

We are seeking a Senior Mission Assurance Engineer to play a critical role in ensuring the safety, reliability, and mission readiness of our spacecraft and lunar exploration programs.

In this role, you will provide independent technical oversight throughout the mission lifecycle, working closely with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Program Management to identify risks, evaluate system reliability, and ensure compliance with applicable safety and mission assurance requirements.

You will help safeguard our people, hardware, and missions by championing proactive risk management, sound engineering practices, and a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. ## Key Responsibilities - Develop, implement, and maintain program Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) plans, ensuring compliance with applicable NASA, customer, regulatory, and program requirements. - Provide independent mission assurance oversight throughout spacecraft design, manufacturing, assembly, integration, qualification, testing, and mission readiness activities. - Participate in major program lifecycle and technical reviews, evaluating safety, reliability, critical items, outstanding risks, and supporting verification evidence. - Lead and coordinate system safety and hazard management activities, including hazard identification, safety analyses, risk assessments, hazard controls, and verification of compliance with applicable Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and OSHA requirements. - Independently assess safety and mission risks, evaluate mitigation effectiveness and residual risk, and elevate significant concerns through established risk management processes. - Coordinate reliability assurance activities, including Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA/FMECA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), single-point failure assessments, critical item identification, fault tolerance, and limited-life considerations. - Provide mission assurance oversight of Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical (EEE) parts, Materials and Processes, contamination control, workmanship standards, and software and firmware assurance. - Coordinate applicable range and launch safety, planetary protection, orbital debris mitigation, and other mission-specific assurance requirements. - Evaluate hardware and software nonconformances, failures, investigations, and corrective actions to assess potential impacts on personnel safety, system reliability, and mission success. - Monitor significant hazards, critical items, and mission assurance concerns, ensuring effective risk mitigation, appropriate documentation, and timely resolution. - Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to incorporate lessons learned, strengthen assurance processes, and drive continuous improvement throughout the mission lifecycle. - Promote a proactive culture of safety, technical excellence, accountability, and mission success across the organization. ## Basic Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Systems, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or a related engineering discipline, or equivalent relevant professional experience. - 10+ years of experience in aerospace mission assurance, system safety, reliability engineering, or a related technical discipline. - Experience supporting complex aerospace programs through design, development, manufacturing, integration, testing, and mission readiness. - Strong understanding of aerospace Safety and Mission Assurance principles, system safety, reliability engineering, and technical risk management. - Demonstrated experience conducting or reviewing hazard analyses, safety assessments, reliability evaluations, and verification of hazard controls. - Knowledge of reliability engineering methodologies, including FMEA/FMECA, Fault Tree Analysis, critical item assessments, and single-point failure analysis. - Working knowledge of NASA Safety and Mission Assurance standards and practices, particularly those related to System Safety, Reliability, EEE Parts, Materials and Processes, and Software Assurance. - Understanding of aerospace hardware and software development lifecycles, qualification processes, and mission readiness requirements. - Familiarity with applicable OSHA regulations, EHS requirements, workplace hazard assessments, and hazardous operations. - Experience participating in technical reviews and evaluating program risks, compliance documentation, and supporting engineering evidence. - Strong analytical, problem-solving, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to exercise independent technical judgment and collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams. ## What Makes You Stand Out - Experience applying NASA Safety and Mission Assurance standards and requirements to spacecraft, launch vehicles, or other complex aerospace programs. - Direct involvement in major technical and program lifecycle reviews, including Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), Test Readiness Reviews (TRR), and Mission Readiness Reviews (MRR). - Experience developing and implementing Safety and Mission Assurance plans for spacecraft, lunar exploration, or other mission-critical aerospace systems. - Advanced experience conducting system safety analyses, reliability assessments, hazard tracking, and technical risk evaluations throughout the mission lifecycle. - Familiarity with NASA and industry requirements related to range and launch safety, contamination control, planetary protection, and orbital debris mitigation. - Experience evaluating mission-critical hardware and software failures, leading technical investigations, and assessing corrective actions for potential mission impacts. - Knowledge of EEE parts assurance, Materials and Processes controls, software and firmware assurance, and aerospace workmanship requirements. - OSHA 10-Hour General Industry training or willingness to complete the training after hire. - Experience applying Lean Six Sigma, structured problem-solving techniques, or continuous improvement methodologies to strengthen safety, reliability, and mission assurance processes. - Demonstrated ability to independently identify and communicate significant technical risks, influence cross-functional decisions, and drive effective risk mitigation. - A passion for space exploration and a commitment to ensuring the safety, reliability, and success of missions that advance humanity's presence on the Moon. ## #LI-LH1 At ispace, we believe that diverse perspectives drive innovation.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences, even if you don’t meet every listed requirement. If you’re passionate about our mission and think you can contribute, we encourage you to apply. Your unique skills and experiences may be exactly what we need to grow and succeed together. To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, includ