Senior Propulsion Test Engineer full_time

Company Overview:  

At Relativity Space, we have two audacious goals: to build the next great commercial launch company with Terran R and to become America’s leading force in additive manufacturing innovation. Both contribute to our long-term vision of creating humanity’s industrial base on Mars, paving the way for interplanetary life to expand the possibilities of the human experience. This journey begins right here on Earth – where we design, build, and fly rockets to deliver customer payloads to orbit. Terran R, our medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket, fulfills the growing demand for launch capacity, thanks to our iterative approach that accelerates design, testing, and development while minimizing costs. While our groundbreaking research and development in 3D printing pushes the boundaries of large-scale additive manufacturing.

Your journey with us is more than just a job – it’s an opportunity to shape the future of aerospace technology, additive manufacturing, and the human experience alongside a community of passionate, creative individuals. Join us on this extraordinary journey, as we work together to transform our vision into reality.

Team:  

The Stennis team at Relativity Space is responsible for designing, building, and operating world-class test stands in support of Terran R propulsion components, engines, and integrated stages. As part of this team, you will help build and operate massive outdoor test stands at the historic Stennis Space Center on the Gulf Coast, the largest rocket engine test complex in the country. The scale of Relativity’s projects in Stennis are eclipsed only by the Apollo program 60 years ago! Unique to this location, you will have the opportunity to get hands-on the fully integrated engine and stage assemblies, push the hardware to the limits, develop all aspects of operations, and witness rocket engines firing up close and personal! This team is critical to the development of Terran R and will be a part of so many first milestones! Check out this video to learn more about the Stennis test team.

What you’ll do:

As a Senior Propulsion Test Engineer, you will be responsible for operating rocket engine test stands for our Terran 1 and Terran R engines and stages.  Operations engineers at our Stennis facility work in partnership with ground systems engineers and technicians to design and execute test campaigns to flight qualify our hardware.  You will be directly involved in daily test operations, adjustments to engine configuration and tuning, and system troubleshooting both in the control room and on the test stand. 

• Create, modify, and optimize test sequences, procedures, and data review processes
• Conduct complex propulsion test operations to assess performance of rocket engines and stages
• Directly control and receive telemetry from the test stand and test articles through GUIs and an integrated software suite for control, automation, and data visualization
• Help develop new rocket engine propulsion designs based on real test data
• Potentially travel to production and launch locations, up to 25%

What you need to know:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related field and minimum 5+ years of combined engineering experience is required.
  • Prior experience in aerospace is not required
  • Varied perspectives & backgrounds strengthen our team
• Strong engineering fundamentals in thermal, structural, and fluids analysis
• Demonstrated drive to deliver on tight schedules, especially when unconventional & creative solutions are necessary
• Hands-on fabrication experience using common power tools for projects at work/home/school
• Ability to maintain focus and high situational awareness during complex, hazardous, and prolonged test operations
• Ability to understand and develop fluid P&IDs (Plumbing and Instrumentation Diagrams) for large-scale test stands and supporting ground equipment
• Working knowledge of fluid components such as valves, regulators, and instrumentation
• Ability to work occasional night shifts

Nice to have but not required:

• You should still apply even if you don’t have all of these!
• In-depth knowledge of rocket engine injectors, chambers, nozzles, valves, pumps, and other components.
• Experience safely operating complex fluid systems, including high pressure gas, cryogenic fluids, flammables, and hydraulics
• In-depth knowledge of data/control systems, specifically programmable logic controllers, data acquisition hardware, and control software

Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, a generous vacation policy, an annual L&D stipend and more! 

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.