Materials Characterization Specialist II, SEM New Long Beach, California, United States

Relativity Space, Inc.; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 53,000 - 79,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO/Sick leave

Parental leave

Learning and development stipend

Equity

Job summary

Relativity Space, Inc. is seeking a skilled SEM/EDX technician in Long Beach to support the Materials and NDE team as Terran R advances. This role emphasizes imaging, fractography, material characterization, and high‑vacuum operation alongside engineers.

You will document results, manage SEM requests, and help ensure quality from welding to powder qualification. A STEM degree and 4+ years hands‑on SEM/EDX experience are required.

Qualifications

• 4+ years hands‑on SEM and EDX/EDS; SEM as the primary focus
• AS/AA/BS in a STEM field
• Comfortable running the SEM with an engineer beside you
• Experience maintaining a high‑vacuum instrument
• Thorough documentation of images, parameters, and conditions

Responsibilities

• Conduct SEM imaging and EDX analysis of additively manufactured metallics, metal joining, and other rocket manufacturing and launch hardware
• Conduct SEM fractography of mechanical test specimens; FOD and contamination analysis
• Work side by side with engineers at the SEM, guiding the session to what they need
• Conduct SEM powder morphology for additive powder qualification; SEM sample prep
• Manage SEM requests against commit dates
• Document results; routine calibration checks and first-line troubleshooting

Skills

SEM analysis

EDX/EDS

High vacuum

Documentation

Education

AS/AA/BS in STEM

Tools

SEM

EDX/EDS

EBSD

Job description

Long Beach, California, United States

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 and NDE (Non-Destructive Evaluation) team plays a central role in enabling Terran R to fly, re-fly, and scale: developing, characterizing, and inspecting materials and processes across all parts of the vehicle. From welding and additive manufacturing to advanced composites, the team works at the intersection of innovation and execution, balancing performance and reliability with cost, quality, and schedule. As we move toward first flight and beyond, the challenges become more exciting, offering opportunities to shape how we design and develop for re-use. With ownership across products, systems, and disciplines, the team gains broad exposure and drives key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations.

About the Role:

• Conduct SEM imaging and EDX analysis of additively manufactured metallics, metal joining, and other rocket manufacturing and launch hardware
• Conduct SEM fractography of mechanical test specimens; FOD and contamination analysis
• Work side by side with engineers at the SEM, guiding the session to what they need
• Conduct SEM powder morphology for additive powder qualification; SEM sample prep
• Manage SEM requests against commit dates
• Document results; routine calibration checks and first-line troubleshooting

About You:

• AS/AA/BS in a STEM field
• 4+ years hands‑on SEM and EDX/EDS; SEM as the primary focus
• Comfortable running the SEM with an engineer beside you and explaining what you see
• Experience maintaining a high‑vacuum instrument
• Thorough documentation of images, parameters, and conditions

Nice to haves, but not required:

• Experience running EBSD scans and processing EBSD data
• Prior fractography and FOD analysis experience; familiarity with aerospace alloys — high‑strength aluminum, nickel, copper, titanium
• Experience with metallographic preparation — cut, mount, polish, etch, optical microscopy
• Additive manufacturing and metal joining exposure — powder bed fusion, welding, powder characterization

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:

$38.40 - $57.60 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.