About the Team:  

The Propulsion Engineering team at Relativity Space is responsible for engines that will power the Terran R launch vehicle. We own the design from concept through successful launch and reuse and we work with our partner teams to manufacture, test and integrate those engines. We’re developing these engines in record time, going from initial sizing point of the Aeon R engine in early 2022 to a successful integrated, full duration hot fire test in late 2023. Over the next year, we will test 3 iterations of Aeon R, our booster engine, culminating in qualification for flight, and test our first iteration or Aeon R Vac, our second stage engine. As a part of this team, you will help build, test and iterate on the full product lifecycle of our Aeon-R engine systems from concept through launch and reuse.

About the Role: 

This role may span several areas of our team depending on your skillset and the team’s needs at the time. The core responsibilities are driving engine system (architecture + CONOPS) trades, managing engine interfaces & negotiating requirements to optimize for the vehicle, and supporting engine system development overall. You may additionally support engine system analysis and simulation, engine testing, tool development, and more. In engineering at the system level, you will be expected not just to coordinate & facilitate amongst other technical teams, but to bring your own deep technical acumen to bear on problems in this highly technical role.

At the principal level, you will have significant impact on the development trajectory of the current engine, as well as on the architecture of future engine iterations. Depending on your background & where you want to grow, you may work across multiple teams & technical disciplines in propulsion. You will serve as a mentor to guide the team, but will also learn from mentors of your own within propulsion and the broader company. And in addition to learning from each other, we all learn from the engine – Aeon R is a novel engine that’s never been built before, and with every engine test it gives us new mysteries to solve and challenges to grow from.

In order to be successful in this role, you should be capable of leading collaborative projects to completion with minimal oversight. You should also be a self-starter who is always looking for ways to improve yourself & learn more about the systems that interface with yours. Along with these high expectations comes the opportunity to have a significant influence on a fast-growing startup company and to make rapid professional gains in an environment that encourages growth and risk.

This role requires an average of 15% travel to our test & launch sites and may occasionally require shifted schedules or weekend work for critical milestones.

About You:  

• Bachelor’s degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field
• 11+ years of relevant experience, preferably in a complex engineering system development and/or test environment
• Experience applying engineering fundamentals in fluid mechanics & thermodynamics
• Experience delivering on ambitious schedules, even and especially if unconventional & creative solutions are necessary to do so
• Experience with liquid-propellant rocket engines

Nice to haves but not required:  

• Working knowledge of fluid components such as valves and instrumentation
• Working knowledge of engine subsystems such as combustion devices and turbomachinery
• Clear evidence of ownership, problem-solving skills, and effective team collaboration from school or work experience