Staff Avionics Hardware Engineer
Relativity Space · Long Beach, United States · 23d 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 Interplanetary Sciences Program was established to expand access to scientific exploration across our solar system. Its mission is to make planetary research faster, more affordable, and more capable than ever before by rethinking how science missions are designed, built, and operated. The program aims to enable scientists to send instruments to distant worlds without decades of development or prohibitive costs. By creating a sustainable model for interplanetary exploration, we are transforming space science from an occasional event into a continuous process of discovery that accelerates knowledge, broadens participation, and inspires the next generation of explorers.
About the Role:
As a Staff Avionics Hardware Engineer within the Interplanetary Program at Relativity Space, you will take ownership of the design, development, and delivery of spacecraft avionics systems from concept through flight. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to create reliable, high-performance avionics that enable deep-space exploration.
This position requires a highly motivated engineer who thrives in a fast-paced environment and can execute with autonomy. You will help define the foundation of Relativity’s future interplanetary avionics architecture while setting the technical standards for future team growth. Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Develop complete avionics systems, including architecture, design, integration, and verification, from initial concept through flight-qualified hardware
- Collaborate with propulsion, guidance and control, thermal and software teams to ensure seamless integration and performance of avionics systems
- Implement robust design and test processes that ensure reliability and safety for deep-space missions
- Lead the technical execution of avionics hardware builds, including PCB design, harnessing, embedded systems, and environmental qualification
- Coordinate with suppliers and internal stakeholders to manage component selection, testing, and delivery schedules
- Maintain accurate design documentation, test plans, and reports, demonstrating strong communication and organizational skills
About You:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field
- 7+ years of experience designing, developing, and delivering avionics or electronics for aerospace systems or similarly complex environments
- Demonstrated ability to take a design from concept through production with minimal supervision
- Hands-on experience with schematic capture, PCB layout, embedded software interfaces, and system-level testing
- Proven track record of working cross-functionally and communicating technical information clearly to diverse audiences
- Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, fast-paced team environment, demonstrating adaptability and problem-solving skills
Nice to haves but not required:
- Direct technical experience in Mars missions is a plus
- Experience with NASA aerospace systems engineering practices in an applied / new-space manner is a plus
- Experience with deep-space or high-radiation avionics systems
- Background in spaceflight hardware environmental testing and qualification
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.