Relativity Space

Develops 3D-printed reusable rockets for launches

Senior Materials & Processes Engineer - Powder Bed Fusion

Materials & StructuresConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeLong Beach, CA, USAIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in materials science or engineering, or a related field, is required.
At least 5 years of relevant materials engineering experience is required; leveling may be adjusted for candidates with more experience.
Experience with general propulsion hardware materials and processes activities, including material selection, qualification, damage tolerance, inspections, risk assessments, and failure analysis.
Experience performing material and part qualifications for additive manufacturing powder bed fusion hardware.
A core commitment to accountability, collaboration, and execution.
A desire to establish and foster strong interdisciplinary relationships across the company.
An authentic, introspective, and inclusive mindset toward technical work, interpersonal interactions, team growth, and development.
Passion for working in a fast-paced, challenging environment on constantly iterating powder bed fusion printed rocket engine products, driving impact on critical program needs as manufacturing rate increases and reuse is achieved.

Responsibilities

Serve as the materials and processes discipline expert for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing of reusable launch vehicle products.
Own materials and processes for reusable liquid propulsion products and materials systems.
Qualify powder bed fusion materials and products for flight and reuse.
Drive system-level requirements and workflows to qualify powder bed fusion materials and parts for damage-tolerant design, inspection, flight, and reuse.
Develop, implement, and maintain technical specifications and engineering standards for powder bed fusion materials.
Drive powder bed fusion material process improvement campaigns in partnership with the powder bed fusion engineering team.
Interface with powder bed fusion engineering and production staff to iterate and qualify powder bed fusion processes.
Interface with materials engineering staff to identify, define, and fill critical technology gaps.
Interface with laboratory staff to characterize powder bed fusion materials and processes.
Interface with design engineers on product materials selection, allowables development, analysis, qualification, flight, and reuse.
Interface with manufacturing engineers to reduce cost and increase rate while maintaining the required performance of powder bed fusion printed materials.
Interface with quality assurance to facilitate specification compliance validation across powder bed fusion processes.
Interface with propulsion engineers to perform failure analysis, root cause analysis, and corrective action campaigns when powder bed fusion parts fail in service.
Interface with Relativity and customer fracture control boards to achieve vehicle reuse with powder bed fusion printed parts.
Interface with company leadership to elevate risks and overcome roadblocks.

Desired Qualifications

Industry-leading expertise in metal powder bed fusion additive manufacturing for production of reusable rocket engine or aerospace parts.
Expertise in nickel, ferrous, aluminum, or titanium alloy systems.
Metallic additive manufacturing experience beyond powder bed fusion, including electron beam additive manufacturing, laser powder deposition, wire arc additive manufacturing, or cold spray.
Metallic fusion welding materials and processes expertise in laser welding, electron beam welding, gas tungsten arc welding, or gas metal arc welding.
Metallic wrought, forging, or casting materials and processes expertise.
Knowledge of surface modification processes and coatings relevant to inhibiting surface damage and corrosion of reusable rocket parts.
Expertise in statistical experimental design and design allowable calculation methodology.

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 Materials and NDE (Non-Destructive Evaluation) team plays a central role in enabling Terran R to fly, re-fly, and scale: developing, characterizing, and inspecting materials and processes across all parts of the vehicle. From welding and additive manufacturing to advanced composites, the team works at the intersection of innovation and execution, balancing performance and reliability with cost, quality, and schedule. As we move toward first flight and beyond, the challenges become more exciting, offering opportunities to shape how we design and develop for re-use. With ownership across products, systems, and disciplines, engineers gain broad exposure and drive key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations.

About the Role:

Be the M&P discipline expert for Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) additive manufacturing of reusable launch vehicle products
Be the M&P owner of reusable Liquid Propulsion Products and Materials Systems
Qualify PBF materials and products for flight + reuse
Drive system level requirements and workflows to qualify PBF materials + parts for damage tolerant design, inspection, flight, and reuse
Develop, implement, and maintain technical specifications and engineering standards for our PBF materials
Drive PBF material process improvement campaigns in partnership with the PBF engineering team
Interface with:
- PBF Engineering + Production staff to iterate and qualify PBF processes
- Materials engineering staff to identify, define, and fill critical technology gaps
- Laboratory staff to characterize PBF materials and processes
- Design Engineers for product materials selection, allowables development, analysis, qualification, flight, and reuse
- Manufacturing Engineers to reduce cost + rate while maintaining needed performance from our PBF printed materials
- Quality assurance to facilitate specification compliance validation across all PBF processes
- Propulsion Engineers to perform failure analysis, root cause and corrective action campaigns when PBF parts fail in service
- Relativity + Customer Fracture Control Boards to achieve vehicle reuse with PBF printed parts
- Company Leadership to elevate risks and power through roadblocks

About You:

Bachelor’s degree in materials science or engineering, or related field
5+ years of relevant materials engineering experience
- Leveling is flexible and will be adjusted for candidates with more experience
Experience with general propulsion hardware M&P activities, such as material selection, qualification, damage tolerance, inspections, risk assessments, and failure analysis
Experience performing material and part qualifications for AM PBF hardware
A core commitment to accountability, collaboration, and execution
A desire to establish and foster strong interdisciplinary relationships across the company
An authentic, introspective, and inclusive mindset towards technical, interpersonal, team growth, and development
Passion to work in a fast-paced and challenging environment on constantly iterating PBF printed rocket engine products, driving big impact on critical program needs as we ramp manufacturing rate + achieve reuse

Nice to haves, but not required:

Industry-leading expertise in metal PBF additive manufacturing for production of reusable rocket engine or aerospace parts
Expertise in nickel, ferrous, aluminum, or titanium alloy systems
Metallic AM experience beyond PBF: EBAM, LP-DED, WAAM, Cold Spray, etc.
Metallic fusion welding M&P expertise in Laser Welding, EBW, GTAW, GMAW, etc.
Metallic wrought, forging, or casting M&P expertise
Knowledge of surface modification processes and coatings relevant to inhibit surface damage + corrosion of reusable rocket parts
Statistical experimental design and design allowable calculation methodology expertise

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:

$124,000—$186,000 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.

Hiring Range: 124000 - 186000 USD

About the Company

Relativity Space

Develops 3D-printed reusable rockets for launches

Relativity Space designs and launches rockets that are largely built with 3D-printed parts. Its core product line includes the Terran R, a medium-to-heavy lift rocket designed to be reusable and capable of delivering payloads to LEO and GTO. The company works by using advanced additive manufacturing to print most rocket structures and components in-house, reducing parts, complexity, and production time, and then offers launch services to customers who want to put satellites or other payloads into space. Unlike many peers, Relativity Space relies on a predominantly 3D-printed, vertically integrated approach with its own proprietary designs and manufacturing processes, aiming to streamline production and cut costs. The goal is to make access to space cheaper and more reliable by building a scalable, in-house manufacturing platform and a reusable rocket fleet that can deploy payloads on demand.

Company size: 1,001-5,000
Company stage: Growth Equity (Venture Capital)
Total funding: $2.2B
Headquarters: Long Beach, CA
Founded: 2016

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