Lead Hardware Engineer (Controllers) New Long Beach, California, United States

Relativity Space, Inc.; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 151,000 - 227,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity

Paid time off

Parental leave

Learning stipend

Job summary

Relativity Space, Inc. is seeking a Lead Avionics Controllers Hardware Engineer to lead a nimble team designing custom controllers for Terran R. You will interface with propulsion, fluids, and GNC to meet demanding vehicle requirements and guide the project through design, bring-up, verification, and flight operations.

You will mentor engineers, drive RCCA investigations, and foster a high-performance culture in a fast-paced environment, with ownership across a broad lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years in electronics design for harsh environments and mission-critical applications.
• Strong background in mixed-signal and analog circuit design.
• Experience designing control electronics for actuating loads (solenoids, motors, etc).
• Experience sensor interfacing (pressure transducers, thermocouples, RTDs, etc).
• Experience leading RCCA investigations using 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, and fault tree analysis.
• Experience mentoring small teams of engineers and driving engineering processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team of engineers designing avionics controllers for Terran R.
• Interface with propulsion, fluids, GNC, and stage engineering to ensure integrated controllers.
• Oversee full product lifecycle from design to flight operations.
• Mentor engineers and promote a culture of collaboration in a fast-paced environment.

Skills

Mixed-signal design

Analog circuit design

Sensor interfacing

RCCA investigations

Team leadership

Requirements tracing

Cross-functional collaboration

Power electronics

DFMEA

Safety-critical design

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

Tools

CAN

RS-422/485

I2C

SPI

EMC testing

Job description

At Relativity Space, we’re building rockets to serve today’s needs and tomorrow’s breakthroughs. OurTerran R vehicle will deliver customer payloads to orbit, meeting the growing demand for launchcapacity. But that’s just the start. Achieving commercial success with Terran R will unlock newopportunities to advance science, exploration, and innovation, pioneering progress that reaches beyondthe 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. Nowis a unique moment in time where it’s early enough to leave your mark on the product, the process, andthe culture, but far enough along that Terran R is tangible and picking up momentum. The mostmeaningful work of your career is waiting. Join us.

About the Team:

The Avionics team is responsible for the full lifecycle of Terran R's nervous system, designing, building, testing, installing, and operating the hardware that connects and controls every major electrical system on the vehicle and ground. The team leverages close partnership between avionics design, manufacturing, and test to enable rapid iteration and feedback loops. Engineers are deeply embedded into other functions within Relativity, working closely with propulsion, GNC, fluids, and stage engineering teams to ensure seamless integration and operation. Now is a unique time to join: you'll get to help shape Terran R's fundamental avionics architecture and be given a high degree of ownership on components that will fly.

About the Role:

As the Lead Avionics Controllers Hardware Engineer, you will lead a small, nimble team of electrical engineers designing custom avionics controllers that interface with critical systems across the Terran R launch vehicle. Your team's controllers will command and control rocket engines, manage fluid and tank pressurization systems, interface with customer payloads, and operate separation mechanisms. You will guide your team through the full product lifecycle including initial design, board bring-up, design verification, qualification, initial flight production, integration, and vehicle operations. You will work closely with cross-functional partner teams across propulsion, fluids, stage engineering, and GNC to ensure your controllers meet the demanding requirements of the overall vehicle. A strong candidate for this role will combine deep technical expertise in mixed-signal and analog circuit design with proven ability to mentor engineers, lead root cause investigations, and foster a culture of collaboration and high performance in a fast-paced environment.

About You:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in electronics design for harsh environments and mission-critical applications (including, but not limited to, launch vehicles, spacecraft, aircraft, or robotics)
• Strong technical background in mixed-signal and analog circuit design, including sensor signal conditioning, instrumentation amplifiers, ADCs, DACs, and filter design
• Experience designing control electronics for actuating loads such as solenoid valves, brushless DC motors, pyrotechnic firing circuits, and similar high-reliability mechanisms
• Experience with sensor interfacing across diverse types including pressure transducers, thermocouples, RTDs, strain gauges, flow meters, and position sensors
• Demonstrated experience leading root cause investigations using RCCA (Root Cause Corrective Action) processes and methodologies such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, and fault tree analysis
• Experience mentoring and leading small teams of engineers in technical and non-technical best practices
• Experience driving rigorous engineering processes and initiatives (requirements capture, design reviews, design verification, FMEA, etc.)
• Experience working with highly cross-functional teams (mechanical, thermal, electrical, software, fluids, propulsion) to develop integrated controller solutions

Nice to haves but not required:

• Familiarity with embedded software development and integration for real-time control systems
• Experience with design for reliability and manufacturability of avionics hardware including DFMEA, accelerated life testing, and qualification testing
• Technical expertise in power electronics including motor drives and control, high-current switching circuits, DC-DC converters, and protection circuitry
• Experience with communication protocols and interfaces (CAN, RS-422/485, SPI, I2C, Ethernet) for distributed control systems
• Hands-on experience with environmental testing (vibration, shock, thermal cycling, EMC) and test fixture design
• Knowledge of safety-critical design practices and standards (e.g., DO-254, MIL-STD-1553, IPC-A-610)

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:

$151,000 - $227,000 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.

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.

As defined in the ITAR, “U.S. Persons” include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (i.e., Green Card holders), and certain protected individuals (e.g., refugees/asylees, American Samoans). Please consult with a knowledgeable advisor if you are unsure whether you are a “U.S. Person.”

The person hired will have access to information and items controlled by the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), and, therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by those regulations or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license. To assist Relativity in assessing its export compliance obligations in relation to your application, please identify which statement best applies to you:

As set forth in Relativity Space’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.