Senior Mechanisms Engineer Long , California

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.

The Structures and Mechanisms team is responsible for the full design, build, and test lifecycle of Terran R’s integrated structures and flight mechanisms. Team members work on multiple parts, not just within a single subsystem, and are empowered to make decisions that directly impact flight hardware.

Guide the design of Terran R mechanisms such as stage separation, payload deployment, aero control features and landing gear. Collaborate with partner groups such as structures, avionics and fluids; leverage our additive process and design freedom to design and build better products. The scope of work encompasses a full design cycle, including conceptualization, trade studies, design, analysis, manufacturing and testing of components.

Here are some examples of projects you could be working on:

• Design and test the Terran R stage separation or fairing deployment system
• Innovative conceptualization of the Terran R landing gear or aero surfaces actuation
• Definition of design criteria and subsystem requirements
• Review of static and dynamic load inputs, material properties and manufacturing process
• Conduct trade studies on different mechanism design concepts and present to leadership

Your mission will be to deliver on time and budget. Work closely with vehicle design, test and loads teams, as well as additive and manufacturing teams.

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical discipline
• 5+ years of experience in a full cycle design engineering role, including CAD, analysis, build and test
• Fundamental knowledge of kinematic synthesis, pneumatic/hydraulic actuation, mechatronics and instrumentation
• Fundamental knowledge of structures strength, stability and fatigue failure modes
• Basic knowledge of manufacturing processes, materials, and surface treatments
• Proven track record of technical problem-solving and hands‑on hardware build experience
• Communication and interpersonal skills to lead discussions on complex technical topics

• 7+ years of aerospace experience or an advanced engineering degree
• Experience with launch vehicle mechanisms and multi‑body dynamics analysis
• Experience with design engineering tools such as NX, Team Center, Ansys or Femap, and scripting in Python or MATLAB
• Hands‑on experience with fabrication/prototyping such as machining, 3D printing, welding, woodworking

Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job‑related factors. The compensation range is $132,000 - $181,500 USD. Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, generous PTO and sick leave, parental leave, an annual learning and development stipend, and more.

$132,000 - $181,500 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.