Manager, Stage Materials & Processes Engineering

Relativity Space; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 224,000; Full time

Job summary

Relativity Space is seeking a Lead for Stage Materials and Processes Engineering to own the development, design, manufacturing, and reuse of Terran R stage systems. You will build and lead the M&P team, collaborating with Vehicle Engineering, our Materials Lab, Weld Development, NDE, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain to drive technical excellence across the program.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in materials science or engineering, 6+ years in materials and process engineering,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in materials science or engineering or related field.
• 6+ years of materials and process engineering experience.
• 2+ years of demonstrated leadership with technical excellence and empathy.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Stage Materials and Processes Engineering team for Terran R stage systems.
• Collaborate with Vehicle Engineering, Materials Lab, Weld Development, NDE, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain.
• Drive risk mitigation and root cause/corrective action to keep Terran-R on track.
• Set high standards for leadership and technical excellence across the team.
• Support annual operating plan, budget, and headcount.
• Foster an empathetic, accountable, honest, and communicative team culture.

Skills

Materials science

Engineering

M&P qualification

Failure analysis

Experimental design

Allowables development

Leadership

Empathy

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in materials science or engineering

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 & NDE Engineering team is responsible for the development, characterization, and inspection of materials across the Terran R launch vehicle. We specialize in rapid implementation of material systems through robust internal testing capabilities and first principles driven qualification approaches. We have recently made our first primary structure, supported introduction of next generation powder additive alloys in the Aeon-R engine, and developed 100% in-cell NDE inspection capabilities for WAAM manufactured hardware.

About The Role

• Build, lead, and develop the Stage Materials and Processes Engineering team as the accountable M&P leader for development, design, manufacturing, and reuse of Terran R stage systems
• Collaborate with key partner teams across the product lifecycle, including Vehicle Engineering, our Materials Lab, Weld Development, NDE, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain
• Fight to keep Terran-R on track through manufacturing dispositions, appropriate risk mitigation, and root cause/corrective action
• Set the bar for both leadership and technical excellence across the team
• Support annual operating plan and organizational activities (budget, headcount, staffing)
• Foster an empathetic, supportive, accountable, honest, and communicative team culture

About You

• Bachelor’s degree in materials science or engineering, or related field
• 6+ years of relevant materials & process engineering experience
• Proficiency in general materials and processes activities such as M&P qualification, failure analysis, experimental design, and allowables development
• 2+ years of demonstrated ability to lead with technical excellence, empathy and inclusivity in an applicable role
• Accountable, collaborative, and biased towards action

Nice To Haves But Not Required

• Experience across the full launch vehicle product lifecycle
• Experience with launch vehicle stage products (primary structures, mechanisms, fluid systems, avionics)
• Experience with launch vehicle materials and processes (aluminum, nickel-based, stainless steel, friction stir welding, arc fusion welding, structural composites, etc.)
• Experience with stage M&P engineering disciplines (fatigue and damage tolerance, corrosion, tribology, oxygen compatibility, etc.)

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

$150,000—$224,000 USD

Equal Opportunity Employer

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].