Senior Manager, Structures Test Engineering

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.

About the Team:  

The Factory Test team is responsible for all hazardous testing in our Long Beach facilities. We use our breadth of experience and collaborative engineering approach to support everything from very large structural tests to precise valve actuation. To that end, we design, build, and operate all test assets from initial concept to test execution. If you enjoy working on a multi-disciplinary team with a broad mandate and want to put hands on hardware, then this is the team for you.

About the Role: 

As the Manager of Test Structures Engineering, you will lead the team responsible for designing and analyzing the structural components of our test stands. You will allocate tasks, review analysis and drawings, implement and uphold design standards, resolve technical trade studies with stakeholders, and mentor team members. Your time will be divided approximately 35/65 between individual and leadership-oriented tasks.

Based in Long Beach, our engineers are responsible for the full design cycle on projects ranging from fast and temporary to permanent, long-term infrastructure. You will partner with many other teams including Vehicle Design, Additive, Infrastructure, and Manufacturing to create development and production-level test assets. Your team’s primary duties will include:

• Design and analysis of static and/or dynamic test stands
• Creation of fabrication drawings, procurement, and project management
• Assembly, commissioning, and operation of test stands

You should be an expert in your field, able to help us solve new and wide-ranging challenges. While previous aerospace experience is not required, you should be familiar with the mechanical design and analysis process for highly loaded components.

About You:  

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field
• 9+ years of experience designing, analyzing, and building metallic structures.
• 3+ years of leadership experience
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, develop, and retain top-tier engineering talent
• Track record of delivering complex and innovative projects on time and on budget.
• Thorough understanding of mechanical engineering fundamentals and their application
• Experience with the complete design cycle from requirements generation to functional product
• Proficiency in 3D modeling and drafting, including expert knowledge of GD&T
• Demonstrated experience with structural analysis using NASTRAN or similar tools

Nice to haves but not required:  

• Previous design experience with weld size analysis
• Hands-on experience with metalworking, welding, hydraulics, manufacturing, etc.
• Ability to automate workflows using Python, VBA, etc.
• Willing to work at heights, in confined spaces, in a dirty environment, and away from your desk.
• No previous aerospace experience is required for this position.

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.