Business Development Lead, Advanced Manufacturing

Relativity Space; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 146,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

PTO & Sick Leave

Parental Leave

Learning Stipend

Annual Learning Budget

Job summary

Relativity Space is seeking a strategic Business Development Manager to accelerate revenue growth in aerospace, defense, maritime, and energy. You will identify opportunities, build trusted relationships, and position our manufacturing capabilities as the solution of choice for mission-critical components.

You'll own GTM strategies, qualify opportunities through research and outreach, and collaborate with engineering and executives to tailor compelling proposals.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of business development or technical sales experience in aerospace, defense, energy or related sectors.
• Proven track record of closing complex deals and developing GTM strategies.
• Ability to influence procurement stakeholders and translate technical needs into proposals.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute go-to-market strategies for target verticals: aerospace, defense, maritime, and energy sectors.
• Identify and qualify new business opportunities through market research, outreach, networking and events.
• Develop deep understanding of customer needs, technical specs, and procurement cycles to tailor proposals.
• Partner with technical teams to scope solutions and communicate value to engineering and executives.
• Manage the sales pipeline from RFI/RFQ/RFP to contract close, including pricing and negotiation.
• Track and report on sales activities, pipeline health and forecasted revenue.
• Represent Relativity at trade shows, industry conferences and site visits.
• Provide competitive insights to shape product strategy and commercial priorities.

Skills

Business development

Technical sales

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

US Citizenship

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:

Relativity Space pioneered large-scale additive manufacturing with our Terran 1 rocket, the largest 3D-printed object to fly. Now a distinct business unit within Relativity, Horizon Manufacturing Technologies is advancing next‑generation manufacturing for aerospace and beyond. The team operates at the frontier of manufacturing innovation, where creativity meets capability. This is an environment where cutting‑edge R&D is put into production, industrializing advanced manufacturing capabilities to solve customer problems. You’ll work alongside welders, robotics engineers, data scientists, and systems engineers at the intersection of hardware and software, creating an end‑to‑end additive manufacturing platform that serves a wide variety of applications. From exploring new materials to unlocking faster print speeds, to designing complex, organic geometries that can’t be built any other way, it’s high‑impact work that sets the foundation for the future of advanced manufacturing.

About the Role:

We’re seeking a strategic Business Development Manager to accelerate revenue growth by identifying, cultivating, and closing opportunities with customers in the aerospace, defense, maritime, and energy sectors. This person will be responsible for building trusted relationships with key decision‑makers, understanding complex technical requirements and positioning our manufacturing capabilities as the solution of choice for critical components.

• Own and execute go‑to‑market strategies for target verticals: aerospace, defense, maritime, and energy sectors
• Identify and qualify new business opportunities through market research, inbound/outbound outreach, networking, and events
• Develop deep understanding of customer needs, technical specifications, and procurement cycles to tailor compelling proposals
• Partner with technical teams to scope solutions and communicate value to both engineering and executive stakeholders
• Manage the sales pipeline from initial contact (RFI/RFQ/RFP) to contract close, including proposal development, pricing strategy and negotiation
• Track and report on sales activities, pipeline health and forecasted revenue
• Represent Relativity at trade shows, industry conferences and site visits
• Provide competitive insights to help shape product strategy and commercial priorities

About You:

• 5+ years of business development or technical sales experience in advanced manufacturing, industrial equipment, defense or energy sectors
• Proven track record of closing complex deals
• Strong familiarity with one or more of the following: additive manufacturing, machining, welding or industrial robotics
• Ability to navigate matrixed organizations and influence technical and procurement stakeholders
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• US Citizenship required (due to ITAR restrictions)
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance is a plus

Nice to haves but not required:

• Existing network in energy, oil and gas, aerospace primes, or submarine contractors
• Experience selling into government or DoD‑related programs (FAR/DFARS familiarity is a bonus)
• Engineering background or technical acumen to engage in detailed solution discussions

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:

$146,000 — $220,000 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 [e-mail].

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.