Lead, Propulsion Engineering

Job Posted 19 Days Ago Reposted 19 Days Ago
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Long Beach, CA
138K-169K Annually
Senior level
3D Printing • Aerospace • Hardware • Robotics • Software
We are building the future of aerospace.
The Role
Lead the design and analysis of integration hardware and engine layout for Aeon-R engine systems. Manage a team, ensuring strong mentorship and project management while collaborating with various engineering teams. Focus on leveraging 3D printing alongside traditional methods to optimize costs and performance, driving projects towards completion under ambitious schedules.
Summary Generated by Built In

At Relativity Space, we have two audacious goals: to build the next great commercial launch company with Terran R and to become America's leading force in additive manufacturing innovation. Both contribute to our long-term vision of creating humanity’s industrial base on Mars, paving the way for interplanetary life to expand the possibilities of the human experience. This journey begins right here on Earth – where we design, build, and fly rockets to deliver customer payloads to orbit. Terran R, our medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket, fulfills the growing demand for launch capacity, thanks to our iterative approach that accelerates design, testing, and development while minimizing costs. While our groundbreaking research and development in 3D printing pushes the boundaries of large-scale additive manufacturing.

Your journey with us is more than just a job – it’s an opportunity to shape the future of aerospace technology, additive manufacturing, and the human experience alongside a community of passionate, creative individuals. Join us on this extraordinary journey, as we work together to transform our vision into reality.

About the Team: 

The propulsion team at Relativity is responsible for the successful development of the engines that will power the Terran R vehicle. We own their design from concept through to launch and reuse. Our team partners heavily with manufacturing, test, launch, and integration teams, striving to develop our engines in record time and to support Terran R's first launch in 2026. As part of this team, you will help build, test, and iterate on the full product lifecycle of our Aeon-R engine systems, seeing them mature and eventually bring Terran R into space.

About the Role:

You will lead a team that is responsible for the design and analysis of integration hardware, as well as overall engine layout and packaging. This role will require managing a small team, requiring strong mentorship, project management, establishing priorities, communicating with leadership, providing technical guidance, and recruiting. Close collaboration with stakeholders within Propulsion Engineering (Combustion Devices, Turbomachinery, and Components) and external to Propulsion Engineering (Stage, Test Stand, and Integration) is essential. Designs and packaging trades will be informed by both fluid and structural analytical and computational models. You will strategically leverage 3D printing, as well as traditional manufacturing methods, to dramatically reduce the cost, weight, and part count of Aeon-R. To be successful in this role, you should be someone who thrives in ambiguity and knows how to lead (and guide) projects to completion.

About You:

 

  • Bachelor’s degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field
  • Experience with fluid systems design and/or structural design
  • Experience in mentoring and demonstrated leadership skills
  • Experience with computer aided design software
  • Experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and commercial tools such as Ansys, Abaqus, or Nastran
  • Experience applying fluid, thermal, structural, and mechanical design fundamentals
  • Experience driving to deliver on ambitious schedules

Nice to haves but not required:  

 

  • Experience in leading teams
  • Experience in the design of liquid propulsion components and systems
  • Experience with Siemens NX and Teamcenter, specifically
  • Experience with large CAD model management, change management, and configuration management
  • Familiarity with aerospace standards (AS, NAS, SAE, etc.)

At Relativity Space, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our compensation practices. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.
Compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, a generous PTO and sick leave policy, parental leave, an annual learning and development stipend, and more! To see some of the benefits & perks we offer, please visit here.

Hiring Range:

$138,000$169,000 USD

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Top Skills

Abaqus
Ansys
Cad Model Management
Computer Aided Design Software
Finite Element Analysis
Fluid Systems Design
Mechanical Design
Nastran
Siemens Nx
Structural Design
Teamcenter
Thermal Design

What the Team is Saying

Person1
Ashley
Lead Avionics Mechanical Engineer
“It's actually a balance (wild!). I get to make sweet hardware with smart people, and still have the ability to propel my art on the side. I love that there's flexibility in being able to work from home when I'm not in the factory building rockets.“
Ashley
Tarek
Tim
Vlad
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The Company
Long Beach, CA
1,000 Employees
Hybrid Workplace
Year Founded: 2016

What We Do

A rocket company at the core, Relativity Space is on a mission to become the next great
commercial launch company. Terran R, our medium-to-heavy lift reusable launch vehicle, will
reliably deliver payloads to orbit on-time and on-budget for customers – meeting the needs of
growing demand for space infrastructure. Leveraging the benefits of additive manufacturing
to design, test, and iterate at a pace unmatched in the industry, we are changing the way
rockets are built and flown.

Our long-term goal is to create humanity’s industrial base on Mars, paving the way for
interplanetary life to fundamentally expand the possibilities of the human experience. The first
step toward this vision starts here on Earth, by building the next great commercial launch
company with Terran R

Why Work With Us

For 60 years, aerospace manufacturing has relied on fixed tooling and complex supply chains to
slowly build rockets comprised of hundreds of thousands of parts. Leveraging advances in
additive manufacturing, Relativity Space is strategically focused on reducing vehicle complexity,
cost, and time to market.

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Relativity Space Teams

Team
Exploring ‘Limitless possibilities, literally’
About our Teams

Relativity Space Offices

Hybrid Workspace

Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.

Given the dynamic nature and diversity of roles at Relativity Space, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for how every team works best.

Typical time on-site: Flexible
Long Beach, CA
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