External Job · via Greenhouse
relativity

Staff Mechanisms Engineer

relativityLong Beach, CA
💰 $85,000 – $130,000/yrFull-timeconstructionmetalwork and fabrication

Quick Summary

Staff Mechanisms Engineer for Relativity Space designing and testing rocket mechanisms including stage separation, landing gear, and aero control systems for the Terran R vehicle.

Skills & Keywords

Mechanism DesignCADKinematic SynthesisPneumatic/Hydraulic Actuation

Nice to haves but not required

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.

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.

If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at accommodations@relativityspace.com.

  • 10+ years of aerospace experience or an advanced engineering degree
  • Experience with launch vehicle mechanisms and multi-body dynamics analysis
  • Experience in a demanding fast pace development environment
  • Experience with design engineering tools such as NX, TeamCenter, Ansys or Femap, as well as engineering scripting language such as Python or MATLAB
  • Hands-on experience with fabrication/prototyping such as machining, 3D printing, welding, woodworking

About the Team

The Structures and Mechanisms team is responsible for the full design, build, and test lifecycle of Terran R’s integrated structures and flight mechanisms. Whether you're working on highly iterative mechanisms that move or tight-margin structures that shouldn’t, you’ll get hands-on hardware ownership and see the rocket coming to life on the factory floor. Both teams fall under one department, sharing design principles, tools, and an integrated approach that provides a comprehensive view of Terran R. Team members work on multiple parts, not just within a single subsystem, and are empowered to make decisions that directly impact flight hardware. Beyond first flight, you’ll play a critical role in refining for manufacturability and speed.

About the Role

To support our mission of changing the way rockets are built and flown, you will guide the design of Terran R mechanisms such as stage separation, payload deployment, aero control features and landing gear. To be successful, you will be working collaboratively with partner groups such as structures, avionics and fluids; and leverage our additive process and design freedom to design and build better products. The scope of work encompasses a full design cycle, including conceptualization, trade studies, design, analysis, manufacturing and testing of components.

Here are some examples of projects you could be working on:

Your mission will be to deliver on time and budget. You will be challenged to integrate as many subsystems within our printed primary structure, and support the development of our additive process to make this a reality. To achieve this, you will be working closely with our vehicle design, test and loads teams, as well as our additive and manufacturing teams.

In order to be successful in this role, you should be someone who is self-motivated, thrives in ambiguity, and is able to lead his or her own projects to completion. Ideally, you are someone who has come from a fast-paced environment, having completed difficult projects with extreme ownership while collaborating effectively with other key groups.

  • Design and test the Terran R stage separation or fairing deployment system
  • Innovative conceptualization of the Terran R landing gear or aero surfaces actuation
  • Definition of design criteria and subsystems requirements
  • Review of static and dynamic load inputs, material properties & manufacturing process
  • Conduct trade studies on different mechanism design concepts and present to leadership

About You

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical discipline
  • 8+ years of experience in a full cycle design engineering role, including CAD, analysis, build and test
  • Fundamental knowledge of kinematic synthesis, pneumatic/hydraulic actuation, mechatronics and instrumentation
  • Fundamental knowledge of structures strength, stability and fatigue failure modes
  • Basic knowledge of manufacturing processes, materials, and surface treatments
  • Proven track record of technical problem-solving and hands-on hardware build experience
  • Communication and interpersonal skills to lead discussions on complex technical topics

Ready to apply?

Apply today for this Staff Mechanisms Engineer role.