Site Reliability Engineer

Company Introduction

Since our founding in 2008, Axelspace has been driven by the vision “Space within Your Reach.” We have continuously refined our unique micro-satellite technology with the goal of democratizing space technology to a wider population across the globe.

AxelGlobe started in 2019 to provide a new Earth observation infrastructure by launching multiple micro-satellites for its higher data frequency. In addition to a satellite launched in 2019, we have successfully launched Japan’s first four mass-produced satellites in 2021. We are currently operating a constellation of five Earth observation satellites, capturing images with a 55 km swath every 2 to 3 days, and providing data and solutions.

Building on our experience with our dedicated satellite business, we launched AxelLiner in 2022 to provide a one-stop service for satellite development and operation, helping customers quickly actualize their satellite business. In 2024, we launched our first demonstration satellite, “PYXIS,” bringing our total number of developed and operated satellites to 11.

Additionally, we received the highest award, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 22nd JAPAN VENTURE AWARDS in 2022, and was selected as part of “Technology Fast 50 2023 Japan” in 2023.

As the world faces pivotal stages in democratizing satellite development and satellite imagery use, we are actively looking for talented individuals who can enjoy the challenges to make a global impact with micro-satellite technology. Hit that apply button and let’s make our vision come true together!

Job Description

About the Role

We are looking for a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) who can manage and continuously improve the Ground Systems that support our satellite constellations, as well as the database infrastructure behind them. This role requires solid knowledge of database operations and administration, query languages, ORM frameworks, database migrations, and CI/CD.

As a member of this team, you will support the development of the ground system for satellites, including communication with satellites, scheduling of satellite operations, and related applications. The level of autonomy and responsibility you are given will grow in line with your experience and track record.

As an SRE, you will be responsible for managing mission-critical databases, implementing automated monitoring and testing, tuning performance, and providing internal training. You will work closely with the ground system engineering team and the cloud team to drive the adoption of best practices and improve operational efficiency. This is a hands-on, cross-functional role that offers significant ownership and architectural influence.

Job Description

Database Operations
Administer, monitor, and optimize databases that support multiple satellite constellations, both existing and in development.

Automation and Monitoring
Develop tools and dashboards to automate operations, monitor performance, and proactively detect issues and weaknesses in the infrastructure.

Testing and Validation
Work with the engineering team to design and implement testing strategies that ensure the reliability, performance, and consistency of the databases.

System Architecture
Contribute to the overall system architecture around the databases, including data flows, schema design, and integration with other components.

Environment Management
Collaborate with the cloud infrastructure team to maintain robust development and production environments and ensure data integrity.

Internal Enablement
Provide documentation, guidelines, and tooling so that engineers can use the databases sustainably and efficiently.

Required Skills

• Proficiency with relational, time-series, and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, TimescaleDB, MongoDB, DynamoDB).
• Strong command of SQL, with experience in schema design and query optimization.
• Experience with at least one of the following: CI/CD pipelines, unit testing, or observability tools (e.g., Grafana, Datadog, Prometheus).
• Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Go) for scripting and automation.
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative, proactive approach to problem-solving.

Preferred Skills

• Japanese language proficiency sufficient to discuss software development and technical topics.
• Hands-on experience operating cloud-based (AWS) environments in both development and production.
• Experience with ORM frameworks (e.g., SQLAlchemy, Diesel, Entity) and data modeling tools.
• Experience in database reliability, predictability, and automation.
• Experience with database performance monitoring and query optimization.
• Experience building tools for database observability and testing.