Question
10+

Staff Engine Design Engineer, Engine Systems Design & Analysis

10/21/2025

You will own top-level engine CAD models and lead CAD release and configuration control for production engine assemblies. Additionally, you will drive cross-functional alignment and define engine assembly tolerances and requirements.

Salary

176000 - 225500 USD

Working Hours

40 hours/week

Company Size

1,001-5,000 employees

Language

English

Visa Sponsorship

No

About The Company
Relativity Space is on a mission to make access to space more reliable and routine. Our medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket, Terran R, 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.
About the Role
<div class="content-intro"><p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">At Relativity Space, we’re building rockets to serve today’s needs and tomorrow’s breakthroughs. Our&nbsp;Terran R vehicle will deliver customer payloads to orbit, meeting the growing demand for launch&nbsp;capacity. But that’s just the start. Achieving commercial success with Terran R will unlock new&nbsp;opportunities to advance science, exploration, and innovation, pioneering progress that reaches beyond&nbsp;the known.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">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 </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">technical rigor go hand in hand, and your voice will help define the stories we’re writing together. Now&nbsp;is a unique moment in time where it’s early enough to leave your mark on the product, the process, and&nbsp;the culture, but far enough along that Terran R is tangible and picking up momentum. The most&nbsp;meaningful work of your career is waiting. Join us.</span></p></div><p class="p-rich_text_section"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><strong>About the Team:&nbsp;</strong></span></p> <div class="p-rich_text_section"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Propulsion team at Relativity is focused on developing and delivering highly performant and manufacturable engines for Terran R. Engineers are responsible for the entire lifecycle of their parts, from initial design through production to qualification and flight. The team fosters a culture of bottoms-up decision-making, free from technical gatekeeping, where ownership and accountability are key at all levels. But designing engines with a quarter million pounds of thrust is just the beginning. As the flight configuration enters qualification, the team is now exploring modifications for future engines, including thrust upgrades, new cycles, and design for mass production.</span></div> <p class="p-rich_text_section"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><strong>About the Role:</strong></span></p> <div class="p-rich_text_section"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">As an Engine Design Responsible Engineer you will be responsible for owning top-level engine CAD models. Depending on the phase of the program and the engine configuration that you are owning, this role will entail:</span></div> <div class="p-rich_text_section"> <ul> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Lead CAD release and configuration control for production engine assemblies, ensuring accurate eBOM structures and smooth downstream integration</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Own engine layout and packaging trades, including definition of Keep-in-Zone (KiZ) and Keep-out-Zone (KoZ) boundaries</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Design and analyze Integrated Design hardware (fluid manifolds, tubing, ducting, secondary structures) and execute rapid design tweaks to support engine testing</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Drive cross-functional alignment as point of contact for Vehicle, Avionics, Manufacturing, Integration, and Test teams</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Define engine assembly tolerances/requirements as defined on Interface Control Diagrams (ICDs.) - Establish and standardize best practices across the Propulsion organization for things like fittings, bolts, seals, etc.</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Champion the change management process and help continuously improve it. - Own tracking of key engine metrics, like mass and part count</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Partner with the Integration/Manufacturing team by reviewing and continuously improving Process Plans, Work Orders, and Non-Conformances</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Strive to set downstream stakeholders up for success by enabling increased engine build rates and quality. Provide floor support at times to resolve build issues</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><strong>About You:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">8+ years of professional design experience</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Bachelor's degree in an engineering field</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Demonstrated project/technical leadership skills</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Strong understanding of engineering fundamentals in structures, fluids, thermal, and mechanisms</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">CAD skills (any platform) and ability to make high quality engineering drawings that meet industry standards and leverage GD&amp;T as needed</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Experience with large CAD model management, change management, and configuration management</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Experience owning ambiguous layout and packaging trades. Demonstrated ability navigating conflicting stakeholder requirements and finding the best path forward</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Experience designing Integrated Design hardware (manifolds, secondary structure, tubing, etc.)</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Systems thinker. Demonstrated ability to zoom out and view the engine’s design holistically. Desire to do what is best for the engine as a whole, rather than a specific component</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ability to understand the work of other teams and assess how that work will impact the engine as a whole/impact other teams or components. Proactively communicates these assessments as needed</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Attention to detail, thorough, exhibits strong follow-through. Understands the critical importance of a flawless eBOM that sets downstream stakeholders up for success</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Great Integration/Manufacturing partner. Experience with any Manufacturing Execution System (MES.) Addresses DFA/DFM feedback in a timely fashion to set production up for success</span></li> </ul> </div> <div class="p-rich_text_section">&nbsp;</div> <div class="p-rich_text_section"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Nice to haves, but not required:</strong></span></div> <div class="p-rich_text_section"> <ul> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Experience with Siemens NX and Teamcenter, specifically</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Experience in the design of liquid propulsion components and systems</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and commercial tools such as Ansys, Abaqus, or Nastran</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Familiarity with aerospace standards (AS, NAS, SAE, etc.)</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Experience with creating release, mass, and part count reports. Ability to communicate this information to leadership and stakeholders in a clear and concise manner</span></li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Familiarity with Qualification and Acceptance test requirements for flight hardware</span></li> </ul> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="description"><p><span style="font-size: 14px;">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.</span><br><br><span style="font-size: 14px;">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!&nbsp;To see some of the benefits &amp; perks we offer, please visit <a href="https://px.sequoia.com/relativityspace">here.</a></span></p></div><div class="title">Hiring Range:</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$176,000</span><span class="divider">&mdash;</span><span>$225,500 USD</span></div></div></div><div class="content-conclusion"><p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><strong>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.</strong></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><strong>If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at <a href="mailto:accommodations@relativityspace.com">accommodations@relativityspace.com</a>.</strong></span></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p></div>
Key Skills
CADDesignAnalysisEngineering FundamentalsProject LeadershipIntegrated Design HardwareChange ManagementConfiguration ManagementAttention to DetailManufacturing Execution SystemFluid ManifoldsThermalMechanismsDFADFMSystems Thinking
Categories
EngineeringManufacturingTechnology
Benefits
Competitive SalaryEquityGenerous PTOSick LeaveParental LeaveAnnual Learning and Development Stipend
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