Propulsion Design Engineer II, Integrated Design

Relativity Space
Long Beach, CA

Who this role is best for

Strong fit for engineers with propulsion experience who lead technical development and collaborate across teams.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with propulsion design experience and leadership in technical projects
    — “Demonstrated project/technical leadership skills”
  • Engineers who have worked on liquid propulsion systems and structural/fluid components
    — “Experience designing, analyzing, assembling, and/or testing hardware”
  • Individuals with CAD skills and a track record of managing top-level engine assemblies
    — “Control and release the CAD/eBOM for top-level engine assemblies”

Things to consider

  • The role demands a high level of technical depth in structures, fluids, and thermal systems
    — “Strong understanding of engineering fundamentals in structures, fluids, thermal, and mechanisms”

How to stand out

  • Emphasize experience in layout trade studies and engine packaging in your resume
    — “Own overall engine layout and packaging, including conducting layout trade studies”
  • Highlight your ability to lead new methods in manufacturing or testing flight hardware
    — “Lead the development of new methods for manufacturing or testing critical flight hardware”
  • Showcase cross-functional collaboration experience with manufacturing and test teams
    — “Collaborate closely with our partner teams: Manufacturing, Test and Vehicle Design”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • successful development of engines
  • ownership of overall engine layout and packaging
  • control and release of CAD/eBOM for top-level engine assemblies
  • design and analysis of critical structural and fluids components
Typical background
Bachelor's degree in an engineering field5+ years of relevant industry experience

Skills & requirements

Required

Propulsion DesignCAD SkillsProject/technical LeadershipEngineering Fundamentals In Structures, Fluids, Thermal, And MechanismsDesigning, Analyzing, Assembling, And/or Testing Hardware

Preferred

Siemens NXTeamcenterLiquid Propulsion Components And SystemsFinite Element Analysis (fea)Commercial Tools Such As Ansys, Abaqus, Or NastranAerospace Standards (AS, NAS, SAE, Etc.)

Stack & domain

Siemens NXTeamcenterFinite Element Analysis (fea)AnsysAbaqusNastranCADStructuresFluidsThermalMechanismsCryogenic And Hot Propellant DuctingFluid ManifoldsTubingSecondary StructuresManufacturingTestingProject/technical LeadershipProblem-solvingCommunicationTechnical RigorLeadershipCollaborationAnalytical ThinkingCreativityAttention To DetailProject ManagementTeamworkAerospaceRocket DesignEngine DesignLaunchIntegration

About the role

Original posting from Relativity Space via Greenhouse

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 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:

The Propulsion Integrated Design team owns the overall layout and packaging of Relativity’s engines, as well as the design and analysis of critical structural and fluids components. As a Responsible Engineer on the team, here are some things you may work on:

Own overall engine layout and packaging, including conducting layout trade studies of different possible engine configurations

Control and release the CAD/eBOM for top-level engine assemblies.

Design and analyze hardware such as the engine gimbal, cryogenic and hot propellant ducting, fluid manifolds, tubing and secondary structures

Lead the development of new methods for manufacturing or testing critical flight hardware to improve performance, reliability, and/or cost

Collaborate closely with our partner teams: Manufacturing, Test and Vehicle Design

About You:

Bachelor's degree in an engineering field and 5+ relevant industry experience

Demonstrated project/technical leadership skills

Strong understanding of engineering fundamentals in structures, fluids, thermal, and mechanisms

Experience designing, analyzing, assembling, and/or testing hardware

CAD skills (any platform)

 Nice to haves, but not required:

Experience with Siemens NX and Teamcenter, specifically

Experience in the design of liquid propulsion components and systems

Experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and commercial tools such as Ansys, Abaqus, or Nastran

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:$104,000—$156,000 USDWe 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.

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.

Source: Relativity Space careers (Greenhouse)

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