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Aerospace, Space Exploration, Manufacturing, 3D Printing

Staff Manufacturing Engineer, Structures

Long Beach, CAOnsiteFull TimeStaff$143,000–$215,000 /yrPosted 1 month agoVisa sponsorship available

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Required skills

  • Structures
  • manufacturing
  • assembly
  • specifications
  • high-fidelity processes
  • statics
  • mechanics of materials
  • process improvement
  • factory design
  • fastening

Nice to have

  • drill
  • trim
  • fastening operations
  • aerospace products
  • new product introduction
  • aerospace hardware system

Role summary

Relativity Space is seeking a Staff Manufacturing Engineer, Structures to own shop floor operations for primary structure assembly work centers on their next-generation reusable rocket, Terran R. This role involves championing process improvements, partnering with cross-functional teams and vendors, and providing Design for Manufacturing feedback. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, 8+ years of related experience, and strong fundamentals in statics, mechanics of materials, process improvement, factory design, fastening, joining, and machining. Experience with drilling, trim operations, tooling, inspection methods, and GD&T is required. Preferred qualifications include direct experience with aerospace product assembly and new product introduction.

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 Manufacturing team at Relativity Space is currently deep in manufacturing trades and process development for Terran R, our next generation, fully re-useable rocket. This team has a wide variety of responsibilities—from determining the most efficient factory floor layout, to developing and implementing complex tooling and processes, and even interfacing with the vehicle engineering team to heavily influence the design of the rocket. Unique to Relativity, you will get to work across many teams to iterate and support development of the vehicle program.

About the Role:

  • Own the shop floor for one or more primary structure assembly work centers, clearing barriers and keeping production moving
  • Champion process improvements across work centers, incorporating learnings from the first Terran R build
  • Partner with design, manufacturing, and reliability engineers, production teams, and outside vendors to drive builds forward
  • Write work instructions, specifications, and best practices for high-fidelity processes, and standardize them across the manufacturing team
  • Provide Design for Manufacturing feedback to structures teams from development through the first prototype and flight builds

    • About You:

  • Bachelor's degree in manufacturing, aerospace, mechanical, or another engineering discipline
  • 8+ years related experience
  • Hands-on history supporting complex assembly builds, including making risk calls to disposition issues and keep production moving
  • Strong fundamentals in statics, mechanics of materials, process improvement and factory design, fastening and joining, and machining
  • Working knowledge of drilling and trim ops, tooling, inspection methods, and GD&T
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work across engineering and manufacturing to understand process constraints and feed back manufacturability inputs
  • Self-motivated, able to prioritize and execute in a high-pressure environment

    • Nice to have, but not required:

  • Direct experience with drill, trim, and fastening operations on aerospace products
  • New product introduction of an aerospace hardware system into manufacturing, test, and production, with proven success
  • Project management experience in a fast-paced environment

    • 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:$143,000—$215,000 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 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.

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