Senior Build Quality Engineer

Relativity Space; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 154,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and equity

Generous PTO and sick leave policy

Parental leave

Annual learning and development stipend

Job summary

A leading aerospace manufacturer in Long Beach is seeking an experienced Quality Engineer to enhance quality processes within its propellant and launch vehicle program. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a STEM field, at least 5 years of relevant experience, and a strong knowledge of aerospace manufacturing practices. This role offers a competitive salary and full benefits, including generous PTO, sick leave, and more.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Quality Engineer in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Extensive experience with design engineering and manufacturing.
• In-depth knowledge of aerospace manufacturing practices.

Responsibilities

• Influence how things are built from the start.
• Drive initiatives for quality in the launch vehicle program.
• Develop strong relationships with Engineering, Manufacturing, Test, and Launch teams.

Skills

Quality Engineering

Aerospace Manufacturing

Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)

Problem-solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering or STEM field

Tools

PLM Software

MES Software

ERP Software

QMS Software

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 Quality team is focused on embedding quality into every part of the design and production process for Terran R. Not just inspecting at the end but influencing how things are built from the start. The team embeds themselves directly within design, manufacturing, test, and launch teams to stay close to the hardware, understand constraints, and proactively shape decisions. As we move beyond initial development into production and then scaled operations, now is the time to put the right processes, controls, and inspections in place without slowing down progress. The team plays a key role in balancing risk, driving a culture of ownership, and ensuring that speed doesn’t come at the cost of reliability. Success here means building a quality system that scales with the Terran R program and Relativity as a whole.

About the Role

• Ownership may include the following: Design: drawing standardization, DFM, and configuration management and control
• Planning: work instruction review, process development, standard rework/repair documentation
• Manufacturing: in-process build verification, coordinate of travelled work, etc.
• Program: Nonconformance ticket processes, as-built verification, root cause/corrective action, etc.
• Drive initiatives to facilitate quality in our growing launch vehicle program. Some projects may include spearheading specification development, developing walk down checklists, supporting automation initiatives for quality inspection, assisting in DFM practices, etc.
• Develop strong working relationships with Engineering, Additive, Manufacturing, Test, and Launch teams to ensure all company objectives can be met

About You

• Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering or other STEM field and minimum of 5 years of experience acting as a Quality Engineer at a fast-paced manufacturing company
• Extensive experience interfacing with design engineering, manufacturing, production and test personnel
• In-depth knowledge of aerospace manufacturing/complex assembly practices and typical quality processes/controls
• Working knowledge of typical PLM, MES, ERP and QMS software and proficiency with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
• Ability to solve a wide range of difficult problems in imaginative and practical ways and evaluate alternative solutions that may require coordination across multiple teams. Ability to establish goals and objectives to complete projects.
• Ability to effectively communicate and present information to team members, team leaders, and top management and well-versed in process development and first-time quality efforts

Nice to haves but not required

• Working knowledge of product development methodologies such as Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Production Process Verification (PPV).
• New product introduction (NPI) of hardware system into a manufacturing, test, and production system with proven success.
• Familiarity with high-volume inspection methods and data-driven acceptance methods.
• Understanding of AS9100/ISO9001 applications and practices for an aerospace program.
• Self-starter that has demonstrated the ability to define and own a process from scratch and roll out that process through adept communication to a diverse team.

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: $120,000 — $154,000 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].