Terran R rocket render
Relativity Space Logo

Relativity Space

Staff Engineer - Launch Fluids Engineering

Posted Yesterday
Be an Early Applicant
Easy Apply
In-Office
Long Beach, CA, USA
150K-226K Annually
Senior level
Easy Apply
In-Office
Long Beach, CA, USA
150K-226K Annually
Senior level
Design, fabricate, operate, and maintain Terran R launch pad propellant and gas infrastructure. Perform fluid-system modeling, pipe stress analysis, drawings, component selection, and work instructions. Lead facility construction activation, commissioning, and initial operations while solving complex cross-disciplinary technical problems. The role requires hands-on hardware experience, project management, technical leadership, and knowledge of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and pipe stress.
The summary above was generated by AI

At Relativity Space, we’re building rockets to serve today’s needs and tomorrow’s breakthroughs. Our Terran R vehicle will deliver customer payloads to orbit, meeting the growing demand for launch capacity. But that’s just the start. Achieving commercial success with Terran R will unlock new opportunities to advance science, exploration, and innovation, pioneering progress that reaches beyond the known.

Joining Relativity means becoming part of something where autonomy, ownership, and impact exist at every level. Here, you're not just executing tasks; you're solving problems that haven’t been solved before, helping develop a rocket, a factory, and a business from the ground up. Whether you’re in propulsion, manufacturing, software, avionics, or a corporate function, you’ll collaborate across teams, shape decisions, and see your work come to life in record time. Relativity is a place where creativity and technical rigor go hand in hand, and your voice will help define the stories we’re writing together. Now is a unique moment in time where it’s early enough to leave your mark on the product, the process, and the culture, but far enough along that Terran R is tangible and picking up momentum. The most meaningful work of your career is waiting. Join us.

About the Team:

The Launch team operates at the intersection of every major aspect of Terran R, from stages and payloads to ground systems, launch, landing, and refurbishment. The Cape is the only place where you see it all come together, offering a level of exposure and responsibility unmatched elsewhere in the program. This is where first flights happen, where history is built on top of history, and where the scale of what's underway is unlike anything in modern aerospace. The mission stays the same, but the work evolves with every milestone: from first launch to reuse, high-cadence operations, and beyond. If you're looking to define what's next in space launch and write a new playbook, not just repeat what’s already been done, this is where it happens.

About the Role:

  • Responsible for designing, fabricating, operating, and maintaining Terran R's launch pad and support facilities
  • Design launch pad propellant and gas infrastructure, including fluid system design, modeling, pipe stress analysis, fabrication drawings, process and instrumentation diagrams, component lists, and detailed work instructions
  • Supervise the construction activation & commissioning and initial operations of these facilities 
  • Solve technically challenging problems across a variety of disciplines under varying programmatic pressures

About You:

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical discipline
  • 8+ years of experience in a full cycle design engineering role, including analysis, build and test
  • Fundamental knowledge of incompressible & compressible flow, heat transfer, and pipe stress
  • Strong project lifecycle and project management background
  • Proven track record of technical problem-solving and hands-on hardware build experience
  • Communication and interpersonal skills to lead discussions on complex technical topics

Nice to haves but not required: 

  • Demonstrated ability to work in high-pressure environments and meet aggressive deadlines
  • Demonstrated problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
  • Experience safely operating complex fluid systems, including high-pressure gas, cryogenic fluids, flammable liquids and gases, and hydraulics
  • In-depth knowledge of launch vehicle ground support equipment and operations, including cryogenic tanks, pumps, valves, and instrumentation, or related experience
  • Demonstrated proficiency with ANSYS and other piping analysis software (Caesar, Bentley Autopipe, etc.)
  • Experience Working with DOD, USAF, and NASA personnel
  • Demonstrated customer service excellence and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with internal and external teams

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:
$150,000$226,000 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.

If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at [email protected].

Please note: Relativity Space does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or referrals from recruitment agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited submission - via email, our website, social media, or directly to an employee - will be deemed the property of Relativity Space, and no fee will be owed absent a current, fully executed agreement with Talent Acquisition that specifically authorizes submissions for the applicable role.

HQ

Relativity Space Long Beach, California, USA Office

Relativity Space The Wormhole Office

Home to Terran R production, cutting-edge manufacturing, and advanced testing infrastructure, our headquarters in the Los Angeles metro area is shaping the future of aerospace. Designed for scalability, this facility is designed to support high-rate production and can adapt to customer demand.

Similar Jobs at Relativity Space

2 Days Ago
Easy Apply
In-Office
Long Beach, CA, USA
Easy Apply
31-47 Annually
Junior
31-47 Annually
Junior
Aerospace • Hardware • Robotics • Software • Manufacturing
Maintain and troubleshoot Powder Bed Fusion printers, including preventive maintenance, laser optics inspections, calibrations, hardware repairs, and component testing. Manage critical spare-part inventories, help develop maintenance procedures, and train production staff on printer operations and daily maintenance. The role requires additive manufacturing experience, strong mechanical aptitude, tool proficiency, and knowledge of maintenance processes.
Top Skills: 3D SystemsAdditive IndustriesAdditive ManufacturingCadConcept LaserEosEos ServiceGe AdditiveLaser Focus TestingLaser OpticsLaser Power TestingPbf PrintersPowder Bed FusionScanner Accuracy TestingVelo3D
2 Days Ago
Easy Apply
In-Office
Long Beach, CA, USA
Easy Apply
132K-198K Annually
Senior level
132K-198K Annually
Senior level
Aerospace • Hardware • Robotics • Software • Manufacturing
Designs, analyzes, tests, and supports manufacturing of primary and secondary rocket structures for Relativity Space’s Terran R vehicle. Owns components from requirements through production, including load-path conceptualization, structural sizing, CAD design, drawing release, hardware test campaigns, and manufacturing process development. Uses NX/TeamCenter, Nastran, ANSYS, and hand calculations while collaborating across engineering and production teams.
Top Skills: AnsysCreoFinite Element MethodsGd&TNastranNxSolidworksTeamcenter
2 Days Ago
Easy Apply
In-Office
Long Beach, CA, USA
Easy Apply
114K-170K Annually
Senior level
114K-170K Annually
Senior level
Aerospace • Hardware • Robotics • Software • Manufacturing
Leads enterprise-wide Environmental Health and Safety management systems across multiple sites and programs. Develops ISO 45001 and ISO 14001-aligned policies, standards, procedures, and compliance programs. Builds EHS data infrastructure, dashboards, metrics, and reporting using BigQuery, Power BI, SQL, and related tools. Drives risk assessments, audits, continuous improvement, and cross-functional implementation with site EHS, engineering, operations, and IT teams.
Top Skills: Ai/MlBigQueryConfluenceIso 14001Iso 45001JIRAPower BISQL

What you need to know about the Los Angeles Tech Scene

Los Angeles is a global leader in entertainment, so it’s no surprise that many of the biggest players in streaming, digital media and game development call the city home. But the city boasts plenty of non-entertainment innovation as well, with tech companies spanning verticals like AI, fintech, e-commerce and biotech. With major universities like Caltech, UCLA, USC and the nearby UC Irvine, the city has a steady supply of top-flight tech and engineering talent — not counting the graduates flocking to Los Angeles from across the world to enjoy its beaches, culture and year-round temperate climate.

Key Facts About Los Angeles Tech

  • Number of Tech Workers: 375,800; 5.5% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
  • Major Tech Employers: Snap, Netflix, SpaceX, Disney, Google
  • Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, adtech, media, software, game development
  • Funding Landscape: $11.6 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
  • Notable Investors: Strong Ventures, Fifth Wall, Upfront Ventures, Mucker Capital, Kittyhawk Ventures
  • Research Centers and Universities: California Institute of Technology, UCLA, University of Southern California, UC Irvine, Pepperdine, California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Quantum Science and Engineering

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account