Senior Weld Engineer
Relativity Space · Long Beach, United States · 4h 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 Materials and NDE (Non-Destructive Evaluation) team plays a central role in enabling Terran R to fly, re-fly, and scale: developing, characterizing, and inspecting materials and processes across all parts of the vehicle. From welding and additive manufacturing to advanced composites, the team works at the intersection of innovation and execution, balancing performance and reliability with cost, quality, and schedule. As we move toward first flight and beyond, the challenges become more exciting, offering opportunities to shape how we design and develop for reuse. With ownership across products, systems, and disciplines, engineers gain broad exposure and drive key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations.
About the Role:
- Lead cross-functional collaboration with design, manufacturing, and quality teams to develop, qualify, and optimize advanced fusion welding processes and equipment/tools for the Terran-R launch vehicle
- Own weld process development and qualification, including authoring and approving weld procedure specifications and qualifications (WPS/PQR) in accordance with AWS D17.1 and related aerospace standards
- Provide expert technical support to manufacturing operations—troubleshoot complex welding challenges, perform root cause analysis, and drive sustainable corrective actions
- Establish and maintain process controls, quality documentation, and inspection criteria to ensure compliance with aerospace standards and production goals
- Mentor and guide junior weld engineers and technicians, supporting technical development and promoting best practices in welding process control and manufacturing efficiency
- Identify and lead continuous improvement initiatives to advance welding automation, throughput, and reliability across production systems
About You:
- Bachelor’s degree in Welding Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (Master’s degree preferred)
- 5+ years of experience in fusion welding process development, qualification, and production support within aerospace, space, or high-reliability manufacturing environments
- Extensive knowledge of fusion welding processes (GTAW, GMAW, laser, and orbital tube welding) and related equipment setup, programming, and parameter optimization
- Demonstrated experience with aerospace materials such as stainless steel, nickel, aluminum, and titanium alloys
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional problem-solving, communicate and drive technical decision-making to implement robust welding solutions in fast-paced production settings
Nice to haves, but not required:
- Welding Engineering B.S., M.S.
- Hands-on experience with manual/semi-automatic GTAW, orbital tube welding, and laser welding systems
- Deep familiarity with AWS D17.1 and related aerospace welding codes, standards, and inspection requirements
- Experience with automation integration, robotic welding, or weld data analytics for process monitoring
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.