Propulsion Structural Engineer I, Combustion Devices

Relativity Space; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 136,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity

PTO & sick leave

Parental leave

Learning stipend

Job summary

Relativity Space is seeking a structural analyst to support Aeon-R hardware throughout design, testing, and flight. You will collaborate with propulsion, manufacturing, and software teams to ensure performance and safety requirements are met and to drive design decisions that enable manufacturability.

You will apply first principles in structural mechanics, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics, conducting hand calculations and FEM analyses with ANSYS and other tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a science or engineering field.
• 1+ years relevant experience in structural analysis or structural modeling.
• Experience applying engineering first principles in structural mechanics including beam bending, pressure vessels, buckling, etc.
• Experience applying engineering first principles in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics.
• Familiarity with structural analysis packages (ANSYS, FEMAP, NASTRAN, ABAQUS).

Responsibilities

• Support the design and qualification of Aeon-R combustion devices hardware throughout the entire development cycle, from initial concept through detailed design, testing, and flight.
• Performing hand calculations and FEM analysis to achieve structural closure, including static structural, thermal, fatigue, and damage tolerance analyses.
• Interface with hardware designers to influence design decisions to ensure hardware meets performance and safety requirements.
• Define test objectives that validate analytical models and verify hardware performance.

Skills

Structural analysis

First principles

Problem solving

FEM analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in science or engineering

Tools

ANSYS

FEMAP

NASTRAN

ABAQUS

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

• Support the design and qualification of Aeon-R combustion devices hardware throughout the entire development cycle, from initial concept through detailed design, testing, and flight, including high-fidelity modeling, test data analysis, model anchoring, and risk assessment
• Performing hand calculations and FEM analysis to achieve structural closure, including but not limited to static structural, thermal, fatigue, and damage tolerance analyses
• Interface with hardware designers to influence design decisions to ensure hardware meets performance and safety requirements
• Define test objectives that validate analytical models and verify hardware performance

About You

• Bachelor’s degree in a science or engineering field
• 1 or more years relevant experience in structural analysis or structural modeling
• Experience applying engineering first principles in structural mechanics including but not limited to beam bending, pressure vessels, buckling, etc.
• Experience applying engineering first principles in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics
• Familiarity with structural analysis packages (ANSYS, FEMAP, NASTRAN, ABAQUAS, etc.)

Nice To Haves, But Not Required

• Experience with ANSYS Mechanical – Graduate degree engineering or science
• Relevant experience in rocket engine development and/or test environment
• Working knowledge of engine subsystems, such as combustion devices

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

$90,000—$136,000 USD

Equal Opportunity Statement

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].