Responsible Engineer II, Valves

Relativity Space; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 104,000 - 156,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Equity

PTO & sick leave

Parental leave

Learning stipend

Job summary

Relativity Space in Long Beach, CA is seeking an engineer to design, analyze, develop and qualify flow control devices for the Aeon R engine and Terran R launch vehicle. You will perform CFD/FEA, run test plans and collaborate across propulsion, manufacturing, and software teams.

The role requires a Mechanical Engineering degree and 2+ years of professional experience, with strong fundamentals in thermodynamics, fluids and heat transfer, plus Matlab, Python or C++ programming.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant engineering discipline (Mechanical or related).
• 2+ years of professional engineering experience.
• Direct experience applying engineering fundamentals in thermodynamics, structures, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer.
• Experience with CFD and FEA tools (ANSYS).

Responsibilities

• Design and analysis of clean sheet of cryogenic, pneumatic, proportional, or solenoid valves
• Detailed fluid, thermal, and structural analysis of piece parts and assemblies
• Development and qualification test planning and execution of internally developed valves
• Engine and vehicle test support for existing flow‑control products
• Conducting trade studies to produce architectures and designs that satisfy system requirements

Skills

Thermodynamics

Fluid dynamics

Heat transfer

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related

Tools

MATLAB

Python

C++

ANSYS

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:

In this role you will be responsible for the design, analysis, development and qualification of flow control devices for the Aeon R engine and Terran R launch vehicle.

Specific responsibilities will include:

• Design and analysis of clean sheet of cryogenic, pneumatic, proportional, or solenoid valves
• Detailed fluid, thermal, and structural analysis of piece parts and assemblies
• Development and qualification test planning and execution of internally developed valves
• Engine and vehicle test support for existing flow‑control products
• Conducting trade studies to produce architectures and designs that satisfy system requirements

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant engineering discipline (Mechanical or related)
• 2+ years of professional engineering experience
• Direct experience applying engineering fundamentals in thermodynamics, structures, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer
• Experience with programming languages such as Matlab, Python, or C++
• Experience with CFD and FEA tools (ANSYS)

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.

• competitive salary and equity
• generous PTO and sick leave policy
• parental leave
• an annual learning and development stipend

To see some of the benefits & perks we offer, please visit here.

Hiring Range: $104,000 — $156,000 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].

Please note: Relativity Space does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or referrals from recruitment agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited submission - via email, our website, social media, or directly to an employee - will be deemed the property of Relativity Space, and no fee will be owed absent a current, fully executed agreement with Talent Acquisition that specifically authorizes submissions for the applicable role.