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Salary: USD 124,000 - 186,000 / annual
Relativity Space is building reusable rockets (Terran R) to serve commercial launch demand. The Materials and NDE (Non-Destructive Evaluation) team develops, characterizes, and inspects materials and processes across all vehicle systems, balancing performance and reliability with cost, quality, and schedule.
In this role, you will be the cognizant Materials & Processes engineer for thermal protection systems (TPS) and non-metallic soft goods on Terran R. You will own the full lifecycle from material selection through flight qualification and reuse: identifying qualification envelopes, forming test plans, executing characterization campaigns, and analyzing data for flight qualification. You will develop and maintain technical specifications and engineering standards, and drive statistically-driven experimental design and process improvement campaigns.
You will interface extensively across the organization: with materials engineers to identify and fill technology gaps; with laboratory staff to characterize materials and processes; with responsible engineers to support design, analysis, qualification, failure analysis, and flight operations; with manufacturing and TPS engineers to develop formulations, troubleshoot issues, and enable cost and rate while maintaining performance; with reliability and supply chain teams to ensure compliance; with fracture control boards to achieve vehicle reuse; and with leadership to develop technical roadmaps and overcome roadblocks.
This is a high-impact individual contributor role on a tangible, fast-moving program. You will have broad exposure across design, manufacturing, and operations, with ownership of critical decisions as Terran R moves toward first flight and scales for reuse.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree in materials science or engineering, chemistry, or related field
- 5+ years of experience relevant to materials and processes competencies
- Experience with general M&P activities: material selection, process development, qualification, damage tolerance, inspections, risk assessments, and failure analysis
- Core commitment to accountability, collaboration, and execution
- Desire to establish strong interdisciplinary relationships
- Authentic, introspective, and inclusive mindset toward technical and team growth
- Passion for fast-paced, challenging environments with constantly iterating products and processes
NICE-TO-HAVES (not required):
- Demonstrated ownership of non-metallic aerospace materials: corks, foams, ceramics, thermal protection materials, primers, paints, coatings, potting, staking, conformal coats, elastomeric gaskets and seals, polymer-base systems, dry film lubricants and greases
- Understanding of cryogenic and high-temperature non-metallic material behavior
- Prior work with non-metallic testing standards and procedures
- Familiarity with contamination control and outgassing principles
