Manager, Propulsion Analysis
Relativity Space · Long Beach, United States · 3mo ago
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. Relativity is a place where creativity and technical rigor go hand in hand, and your voice will help define the stories we’re writing together. Now is a unique moment in time where it’s early enough to leave your mark on the product, the process, and the culture, but far enough along that Terran R is tangible and picking up momentum. The most meaningful work of your career is waiting. Join us.
About the Team:
The Propulsion team at Relativity is focused on developing and delivering highly performant and manufacturable engines for Terran R. Engineers are responsible for the entire lifecycle of their parts, from initial design through production to qualification and flight. The team fosters a culture of bottoms-up decision-making, free from technical gatekeeping, where ownership and accountability are key at all levels. But designing engines with a quarter million pounds of thrust is just the beginning. As the flight configuration enters qualification, the team is now exploring modifications for future engines, including thrust upgrades, new cycles, and design for mass production.
About the Role
In this role, you will manage a team of analysts that is responsible for the analysis of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine (LPRE) propulsion hardware. You and your team will:
- Own thermal, structural, dynamic, and durability (fatigue/fracture) analyses for Aeon-R engines and subsystems to guide design decisions and to ensure performance and reliability requirements are met
- Analyze 3D-printed engine components, complex mechanical assemblies, and the fully integrated engine for structural integrity
- Partner closely with mechanical design teams and manufacturing teams to develop and iterate optimal engine and vehicle solutions
- Use analysis to drive design iterations and inform engineering decisions
- Sign off on flight hardware readiness and acceptability
- Make analysis-driven decisions and risk assessments aligned with company risk posture
To be successful in this role, you should thrive in ambiguity and be capable of leading a high-performing team of propulsion analysts through multiple complex projects in parallel. You will set the team's vision and direction, align priorities with program milestones, delegate effectively, and drive execution with minimal oversight. Additionally, you will provide technical leadership, establish high standards for engineering rigor and quality, and play a key role in recruiting, mentoring, and developing engineers. Success in this role requires strong cross-functional collaboration and the ability to influence technical approaches, best practices, and engineering standards across the organization. Along with these expectations comes the opportunity to have a significant impact on a fast-growing team and accelerate your professional growth in an environment that values ownership, learning, and thoughtful risk-taking.
About You
- Bachelor’s degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field
- 7+ years of relevant engineering experience, preferably working on complex engineering systems
- Proven leadership experience, demonstrated through mentoring, managing complex interdisciplinary projects, supporting continuous improvement of the people around you, and participating in growing your team through hiring
- Experience applying engineering fundamentals in structures, fluids, and thermodynamics
- Experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA,) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD,) and Computer Aided Design (CAD)
Nice to haves, but not required:
- 2 or more years of direct experience, working on the analysis of liquid propellant rocket engine hardware/components
- Working knowledge of engine subsystems such as combustion devices, turbomachinery, valves, integration hardware, etc.
- Familiarity with industry best practices and aerospace standards
- Exposure to, and knowledge of, powder bed additive manufacturing
- Demonstrated drive to deliver on ambitious schedules, especially if unconventional & creative solutions are necessary to do so
At Relativity Space, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our compensation practices. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.
Compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, a generous PTO and sick leave policy, parental leave, an annual learning and development stipend, and more! To see some of the benefits & perks we offer, please visit here.
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.
If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at accommodations@relativityspace.com.
Please note: Relativity Space does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or referrals from recruitment agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited submission - via email, our website, social media, or directly to an employee - will be deemed the property of Relativity Space, and no fee will be owed absent a current, fully executed agreement with Talent Acquisition that specifically authorizes submissions for the applicable role.