Manager, Quality Systems Engineering

Relativity Space; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 179,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO and sick leave

Parental leave

Annual learning and development stipend

Job summary

Relativity Space is seeking a Quality Systems Manager to oversee the quality management system for the Terran R vehicle. This role involves driving improvement, managing a team, and ensuring compliance with regulations including AS9100.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in quality systems, particularly in aerospace, and a proven ability to lead technical teams. The position offers a competitive salary based on qualifications and experience, along with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in quality systems with aerospace or regulated industry.
• 2+ years of direct team management experience.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the quality management system and drive continuous improvement.
• Manage the Document Control system and compliance.
• Lead internal and external audit programs.

Skills

Quality management systems

Aerospace experience

People management

Document control systems

Root cause investigations

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related STEM field

Tools

QMS digital platforms

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 Reliability team at Relativity Space ensures quality is built into every stage of the Terran R design and production process, embedding reliability from the very beginning. The team works directly with design, manufacturing, test, and launch teams to stay close to the hardware, understand constraints, and proactively shape decisions. As the program moves from development into production and scaled operations, this is the time to establish the right processes, controls, and inspections without slowing progress. The team plays a key role in balancing risk, fostering a culture of ownership, and making sure speed never comes at the cost of reliability. Success means creating a quality system that scales with the Terran R program and Relativity as a whole.

About the Role:

• Own the quality management system across the organization, setting strategy, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring alignment with customer requirements, regulatory standards, and international frameworks including AS9100
• Build, develop, and manage a team of quality systems engineers, providing coaching, technical guidance, and performance development
• Own and oversee the Document Control system, ensuring accurate, compliant, and efficient management of controlled documents, records, and change control processes
• Manage and execute the internal and external audit program, including planning, leading, and reporting on audit findings to evaluate QMS performance and effectiveness
• Lead configuration management processes in coordination with engineering and operations stakeholders to ensure product and process integrity across all lifecycle phases
• Drive root cause investigations and corrective and preventive action (CAPA) processes, ensuring timely closure and systemic improvement of the quality management system

About You:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, quality, or a related STEM field
• 8+ years of experience in quality systems or quality engineering, with demonstrated experience in aerospace or a similarly regulated industry
• 2+ years of direct people management experience, with a track record of developing and leading technical teams
• In-depth working knowledge of AS9100 or ISO 9001 requirements and principles; lead auditor certification strongly preferred
• Hands‑on experience with document control systems, configuration management, and internal/external audit programs
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with experience reporting quality metrics and program status to senior leadership

Nice to haves, but not required:

• Certified QMS lead auditor (AS9100)
• Experience in a high‑growth, vertically integrated manufacturing environment
• Familiarity with QMS digital platforms and continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean or Six Sigma

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: $130,000 – $179,500 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].