Principal Industrial Engineer, Factory Systems Engineering

ZipRecruiter; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 196,000 - 253,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading aerospace company committed to developing groundbreaking technology. As a Senior Manufacturing Engineer, you will drive innovative solutions to enhance productivity and efficiency across our manufacturing processes, collaborating with diverse teams to ensure quality and scalability. Your expertise will contribute to shaping the future of aerospace and additive manufacturing.

Benefits

Competitive salary and equity

Generous PTO and sick leave policies

Parental leave

Annual learning and development stipend

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing or related industries.
• 2 years in a senior technical leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience improving manufacturing workflows.

Responsibilities

• Identify and analyze operational issues to improve productivity.
• Develop training programs around core industrial engineering fundamentals.
• Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing teams for seamless integration.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Value Stream Mapping

Process Optimization

Statistical Analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, aerospace engineering

Job description

Job Description

At Relativity Space, we have two audacious goals: to build the next great commercial launch company with Terran R and to become America's leading force in additive manufacturing innovation. Both contribute to our long-term vision of creating humanity's industrial base on Mars, paving the way for interplanetary life to expand the possibilities of the human experience. This journey begins right here on Earth – where we design, build, and fly rockets to deliver customer payloads to orbit. Terran R, our medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket, fulfills the growing demand for launch capacity, thanks to our iterative approach that accelerates design, testing, and development while minimizing costs. While our groundbreaking research and development in 3D printing pushes the boundaries of large-scale additive manufacturing.

Your journey with us is more than just a job – it's an opportunity to shape the future of aerospace technology, additive manufacturing, and the human experience alongside a community of passionate, creative individuals. Join us on this extraordinary journey, as we work together to transform our vision into reality.

About the Team:

The Manufacturing team owns all process development, fabrication strategy, and production equipment for Terran R, our next-generation reusable rocket. This team has a wide variety of responsibilities – from factory floor layout, to developing complex tooling for novel processes, and interfacing with our vehicle engineering team to heavily influence design of the rocket. We leverage our deep expertise to translate engineering requirements into highly optimized production lines, working cross-functionally to consistently enhance the vehicle program.

About the Role:

• Identify and analyze operational issues and develop innovative solutions to improve productivity, capacity, safety, and quality across all aspects of the manufacturing value stream map.
• Develop, deploy, and maintain company-wide initiatives and training programs around core industrial engineering fundamentals such as, but not limited to, continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, value stream mapping, Kaizen, and 5S.
• Develop and execute long-term strategies for manufacturing scalability, leveraging automation and process optimization to meet increasing demands for high-rate vehicle production.
• Drive rapid iteration on new production processes, balancing speed with manufacturing rigor to enable the efficient development and deployment of new aerospace products, including stage assembly and integration.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and quality teams to ensure seamless integration of feedback, manufacturability, and production execution, with a focus on balancing efficiency with program requirements throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle; champion early adoption of these principles in our product lifecycle.

About You:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing or related industries, with at least 2 years in a senior technical leadership role overseeing complex manufacturing system operations, preferably in aerospace, automotive, or other high-precision or high-production-rate industries.
• Demonstrated experience within industrial engineering improving manufacturing workflows leading to tangible improvements.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate statistical manufacturing data, driving insights into actionable outcomes.
• Proven success in building relationships with manufacturing teams, production lines, and systems to support high-rate production while maintaining flexibility for rapid iteration. Able to work well in an integrated, collaborative team environment.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, including structural integration, assembly, automation, supply chain integration, quality systems, and lean manufacturing principles.

Nice to Haves (not required):

• Extensive experience in manufacturing complex aerospace vehicles (e.g., primary structure assemblies, vehicle integration systems, critical flight hardware), with a proven track record of scaling production in fast-paced, high-growth environments while maintaining quality and reliability throughout the vehicle production process.
• Hands-on experience implementing advanced manufacturing technologies—such as additive manufacturing, high-precision machining, and digital automation—to enhance efficiency and scalability.
• Strong knowledge of aerospace manufacturing standards (AS9100, NADCAP).

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. We offer competitive salary and equity, generous PTO and sick leave policies, parental leave, an annual learning and development stipend, and more! For details on our benefits & perks, please visit our website.

Hiring Range: $196,000—$253,000 USD

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, or other protected categories.