Full-Time
Avionics Test Engineer 2
Posted on 10/30/2025
Relativity Space
1,001-5,000 employees
Develops 3D-printed reusable rockets for launches
Compensation Overview
$136k - $173k/yr
Long Beach, CA, USA
In Person
 QA & Testing (1) |
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 Aerospace Engineering (1) |
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- Undergraduate or graduate degree (BS/MS/PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
- 2+ years of experience with electronics hardware simulation or test
- Familiarity with data acquisition and control system platforms such as National Instruments NI, Beckhoff, or similar
- Experience working with electronics test equipment such as power supplies, digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, signal generators, and electronic loads
- Familiarity with common communication protocols such as Ethernet, CAN, UART, SPI, etc.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Develop frameworks and infrastructure to conduct qualification and acceptance testing of Avionics components on the Terran R launch vehicle
- Design equipment to facilitate Avionics component testing: simulation circuits, auxiliary test equipment, test harnesses, mechanical fixtures and enclosures, and system validation tools
- Work with hardware design engineers and software engineers to derive test requirements and methodologies
- Create and maintain test plans and procedures for avionics systems
- Integrate, commission, and operate test rack hardware and software to support component- and system-level functional testing
- Experience with a schematic capture & PCB design tool such as Altium Designer
- Experience with analog sensors such as pressure transducers, RTDs, and accelerometers
- Familiarity with scripting languages such as Python or MATLAB for data acquisition/recording and analysis
- Familiarity with wire harness design
- Familiarity with CAD tools such as NX
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, California
Founded
2016
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Eric Schmidt's $800M capital infusion and $3B pre-sold contracts provide revenue visibility.
- Terran R maiden flight late 2026 from Cape Canaveral launches commercial operations immediately.
- Orbital data center initiative creates adjacent revenue stream beyond traditional launch services.
What critics are saying
- Pivot from 3D printing to traditional manufacturing abandons core competitive advantage entirely.
- Terran R maiden flight failure delays revenue beyond 2026, triggering SES contract cancellations.
- SpaceX Starship full reusability undercuts Terran R pricing, capturing medium-lift market share.
What makes Relativity Space unique
- Terran R delivers 23,500kg to LEO, exceeding Falcon 9 capacity with reusable design.
- Completed critical design review December 2024; flight production underway at Long Beach facility.
- SES multi-launch agreement validates medium-to-heavy lift capability against SpaceX and Blue Origin.
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Benefits
Health, dental & vision coverage
Wellness stipend
401(k)
Equity
11 company holidays
Generous PTO policy
Monthly lunches, game nights, & offsite events
Parental leave
Annual learning stipend
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↑ 2%2 year growth
↑ 0%A candidate for California governor has made taxing the rich a center piece of his campaign.
Relativity Space, the rocket maker founded by Tim Ellis, is abandoning its 3D printing vision and pivoting to traditional rocket manufacturing after burning through over $1 billion. The company has secured nearly $800 million in fresh funding from new CEO Eric Schmidt, the former Google chief who took over earlier this year. Schmidt, whose fortune is estimated at $52 billion, is raising capital at a valuation exceeding $1 billion—down from the company's $4 billion peak in 2021. He has hired hundreds of staff with above-market compensation and plans to use Relativity to establish data centres in space, competing with SpaceX's similar initiative. The shift follows development setbacks that alienated investors. The move comes as commercial space investment surges, though numerous startups including Virgin Orbit have failed.
SES extends multi-launch agreement with Relativity Space. SES and Relativity Space have expanded their multi-year, multi-launch services agreement to launch new SES satellites aboard Relativity's Terran R rocket. What is the new agreement between SES & Relativity about? Under the partnership, Relativity's medium-to-heavy-lift reusable launch vehicle will be used to lift off SES spacecraft to their final orbital positions, the satellite operator said Wednesday, noting that the extended agreement includes previously unannounced SES missions. Terran R will deliver high performance and reliable and cost-effective access to space required for such missions, the company added. The rocket's maiden flight is slated for late 2026, launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida. What did SES & Relativity Space ceos say about the extended agreement? "SES is committed to working with an ecosystem of 'new space' innovators to evolve our network," said SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh. "Deepening our collaboration with Relativity Space and Terran R demonstrates that commitment - pairing reusable, medium to heavy lift capability with SES's multi-orbit vision to deliver more capacity, more quickly, and with greater resilience for years to come." Emphasizing the strategic vision driving the partnership, Eric Schmidt, CEO of Relativity Space, said "broad access to orbit enables the breakthroughs that will shape our future. From global connectivity to scientific discovery, these launches with SES represent part of a larger effort to drive innovation and push the boundaries of the possible."
“Gives you a sense of how big this crisis is.”…
Eric Schmidt, the former Google CEO, has officially stepped in as the new CEO of Relativity Space.