Lead, Propulsion Analysis Engineer

Relativity Space; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 136,000 - 204,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Generous PTO and sick leave

Parental leave

Annual learning and development stipen

Job summary

Relativity Space is seeking a senior propulsion analysis lead to guide the analysis of Aeon-R engine hardware and subsystems. You will drive FEA work, interface loads, and collaborate across propulsion, materials, and design teams to ensure reliability and performance while shaping best practices and governance for the organization.

You will mentor a small team, manage priorities, and partner with leadership to deliver design decisions on aggressive schedules.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field.
• 5+ years of relevant analysis experience, preferably with complex engineering systems.
• Experience mentoring and demonstrated leadership skills.
• Strong experience with finite element analysis and CAD software.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of analysts responsible for analysis of integrated design hardware (engine components, assemblies, and subsystems).
• Develop interface loads via engine assembly FEA models to drive sizing of hardware across the engine.
• Set best practices for analysis approaches, design factors, and material allowables.
• Manage a small team with mentorship, project management, prioritization, and leadership communication.
• Collaborate with Propulsion Engineering and Materials teams to guide design and qualification.

Skills

Finite Element Analysis

Leadership

Mentoring

CAD software

Project management

Detail-oriented

Education

Bachelor's degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics

Tools

Siemens NX

Teamcenter

ANSYS Workbench

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 Propulsion team at Relativity is focused on developing and delivering highly performant and manufacturable engines for Terran R. Engineers are responsible for the entire lifecycle of their parts, from initial design through production to qualification and flight. The team fosters a culture of bottoms-up decision-making, free from technical gatekeeping, where ownership and accountability are key at all levels. But designing engines with a quarter million pounds of thrust is just the beginning. As the flight configuration enters qualification, the team is now exploring modifications for future engines, including thrust upgrades, new cycles, and design for mass production.

About the Role

You will lead a team of analysts that is responsible for the analysis of integrated design hardware, which consists of things like the Aeon R engine's gimbal, bellows, flex hoses, propellant ducts, manifolds, primary structure, secondary structure, tubing, etc. Additionally, your team will own generating interface loads via engine assembly FEA models that drive the sizing of hardware across the entire engine. You will also be a key voice in conversations pertaining to best practices for analysis approaches, acceptable design factors, material allowables, etc. This role will require managing a small team, requiring strong mentorship, project management, establishing priorities, communicating with leadership, providing technical guidance, and recruiting. Close collaboration with stakeholders within Propulsion Engineering (Combustion Devices, Turbomachinery, and Components) and external to Propulsion Engineering (Materials, Design Criteria) is essential. To be successful in this role, you should be someone who thrives in ambiguity and knows how to lead (and guide) projects to completion.

You and your team will be:

• Responsible for the thermal, structural, dynamic, and durability (fatigue/fracture) analyses on Aeon-R engines and subsystems, to guide design decisions and ensure reliability and performance requirements are met
• Responsible for the analysis of 3D-printed engine components, complex mechanical assemblies, and/or the structural integrity of the fully integrated engine assembly
• Work hand-in-hand with mechanical designers & manufacturing engineers to arrive at optimal solutions for the engine and vehicle programs
• Develop and execute tests to support development and qualification, including hands-on work like test article integration, instrumentation setup, and data processing

About You

• Bachelor's degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field
• 5+ years of relevant analysis experience, preferably with complex engineering systems
• Experience in mentoring and demonstrated leadership skills
• Experience with Finite Element Analysis Experience with computer aided design (CAD) software
• Detail-oriented, organized, and able to follow through Strong drive to deliver on ambitious schedule

Nice to haves, but not required:

• Experience in leading high performing teams
• Experience with design of liquid propulsion components and systems
• Experience with Siemens NX, Teamcenter, and ANSYS workbench
• Familiarity with industry best practices
• Familiarity with aerospace standards

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:

$136,000 — $204,000 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].