Principal Materials & Processes Engineer, Avionics

Company: Relativity Space
Location: Long Beach
Posted on: January 17, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description 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 re-use. With ownership across products, systems, and disciplines, engineers gain broad exposure and drive key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations. About the Role: Serve as the first and primary cognizant M&P engineer for our Terran-R avionics electrical and mechanical hardware Qualify avionics materials and processes for flight and reuse Develop, implement, and maintain technical specifications and engineering standards Drive statistically-driven experimental design and process improvement campaigns Interface with: Materials engineers to identify, define, and fill critical technology gaps Laboratory staff to characterize materials and processes Avionics responsible engineers to support materials selection, design and analysis, qualification, flight, and reuse Process and manufacturing engineers to develop processes, troubleshooting issues, and enabling cost & rate while maintaining performance Quality assurance and supply chain to ensure subcontractor compliance and reliability Leadership to develop technical roadmaps, elevate risks, and overcome roadblocks About You: Bachelor's degree in materials science or engineering, or related field 9 years of relevant avionics materials and processes experience (note: leveling is flexible and based on each candidate's background) A core commitment to accountability, collaboration, and execution A desire to establish and foster strong interdisciplinary relationships across the company An authentic, introspective, and inclusive mindset towards technical, interpersonal, and team growth and development Nice to haves but not required: Deep experience with aerospace avionics products and their associated materials and processes (power systems, batteries, controllers, transceivers, antennas, sensors, and harnesses) Expertise in printed circuit board assembly processes (solder paste printing, vapor phase reflow, underfill, staking, board wash, and conformal coat) Knowledge of relevant industry standards (NASA, J-STD, IPC, SMC, TOR, etc.) Experience with statistical experimental design and data analysis 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. Hiring Range: $196,000—$253,000 USD 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.

Keywords: Relativity Space, Palm Springs , Principal Materials & Processes Engineer, Avionics, Engineering , Long Beach, California