Senior Avionics PCBA Prototyping Engineer

Relativity Space, Inc.; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 148,000 - 222,000; Full time

Job summary

Relativity Space, Inc. is hiring a Senior Avionics PCBA Development Engineer in Long Beach, CA. You’ll drive bring-up of avionics prototypes, program machines, develop processes, and troubleshoot defects hands-on while partnering with design and manufacturing teams.

You’ll help bridge to mass production, maintain documentation, and develop automation tools to improve data collection and efficiency. A strong background in PCBAs and SMT is required.

Qualifications

• Must have Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Manufacturing Engineering (or equivalent hands-on experience).
• 5–8 years of hands-on PCBA assembly experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with SMT equipment including solder paste printers, pick-and-place, and reflow ovens.
• Professional-grade soldering and rework skills, including component replacement, fine-pitch soldering, and BGA rework.
• Strong understanding of SMT processes, defects, and troubleshooting, including inspection methods (visual, AOI, and X-ray).
• Detail-oriented with ability to read PCB assembly drawings, schematics, and datasheets; capable of building automation tools or scripts to improve data collection and analysis

Responsibilities

• Provide DFM feedback: review PCB designs for manufacturability and resolve assembly issues before builds begin.
• Operate the full SMT line: support operation of every station on the line for Avionics prototype builds.
• Inspect and troubleshoot: perform first-article inspections, investigate defects, and drive corrective actions to root cause.
• Program and optimize equipment: develop programs and tune parameters, placement routines, and reflow profiles.
• Build and rework hardware: support prototype and qualification builds hands-on and perform soldering and PCBA rework.
• Maintain process control documentation: keep work instructions, assembly drawings, inspection criteria, and process specifications current.
• Develop automation tools: build/enhance tools for machine-programming automation, data-collection pipelines, and analysis workflows.

Skills

SMT experience

Soldering & rework

AOI & X-ray inspection

Automation tools/scripts

Reading PCB drawings/schematics

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

Solder paste printers

Pick-and-place

Reflow ovens

Altium

Valor NPI

Job description

Relativity Space, Inc. is hiring a Senior Avionics PCBA Development Engineer in Long Beach, CA. You’ll drive bring-up of avionics prototypes, program machines, develop processes, and troubleshoot defects hands-on while partnering with design and manufacturing teams.

You’ll help bridge to mass production, maintain documentation, and develop automation tools to improve data collection and efficiency. A strong background in PCBAs and SMT is required.