Senior Materials & Processes Engineer, Thermal Protection Systems & Soft Goods

Relativity Space; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 124,000 - 186,000; Full time

Job summary

Relativity Space is seeking a Senior Materials & Processes Engineer focused on thermal protection systems and non-metallic softgoods for the Terran-R vehicle. Based in Long Beach, CA, you will join a team transitioning from welding and additive manufacturing to advanced composites, balancing performance, cost, and schedule.

You will own materials selection, testing plans, and statistical campaigns, collaborating across materials, manufacturing, and reliability to enable reuse and scalable

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in materials science and processes engineering.
• Bachelor’s degree in materials science or engineering, chemistry, or related field.
• Experience with material selection, process development, qualification, damage tolerance, inspections, risk assessments, and failure analysis.
• Ability to collaborate across disciplines and drive execution in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Be the cognizant M&P engineer of thermal protection systems and non-metallic softgoods for Terran-R flight and reuse.
• Identify qualification envelopes, plan tests, conduct characterization campaigns, and analyze data.
• Develop and maintain technical specifications and engineering standards.
• Drive statistically-driven experimental design and process improvement campaigns.
• Coordinate with materials engineers, laboratory staff, responsible engineers, manufacturing and TPS engineers to enable reuse.

Skills

Materials science

Data analysis

Engineering

Education

Bachelor's degree in materials science or engineering, chemistry, or related field

Job description

Senior Materials & Processes Engineer, Thermal Protection Systems & Soft Goods

Long Beach, California, United States

At Relativity Space, we’re building rockets to serve today’s needs and tomorrow’s breakthroughs. OurTerran R vehicle will deliver customer payloads to orbit, meeting the growing demand for launchcapacity. But that’s just the start. Achieving commercial success with Terran R will unlock newopportunities to advance science, exploration, and innovation, pioneering progress that reaches beyondthe 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. Nowis a unique moment in time where it’s early enough to leave your mark on the product, the process, andthe culture, but far enough along that Terran R is tangible and picking up momentum. The mostmeaningful work of your career is waiting. Join us.

About the Team:

The Materials and NDE (Non-Destructive Evaluation) team plays a central role in enabling Terran R to fly, re-fly, and scale: developing, characterizing, and inspecting materials and processes across all parts of the vehicle. From welding and additive manufacturing to advanced composites, the team works at the intersection of innovation and execution, balancing performance and reliability with cost, quality, and schedule. As we move toward first flight and beyond, the challenges become more exciting, offering opportunities to shape how we design and develop for re-use. With ownership across products, systems, and disciplines, engineers gain broad exposure and drive key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations.

About the role:

• Be the cognizant M&P engineer of thermal protection systems and non-metallic softgoods for Terran-R flight and reuse
• Identify qualification envelopes, form test plans, execute characterization campaigns, and analyze data for flight qualification and usage
• Develop, implement, and maintain technical specifications and engineering standards
• Drive statistically-driven experimental design and process improvement campaigns
• Interface with:
  • Materials engineers to identify, define, and fill critical technology gaps through Relativity developed + commercially available materials
  • Laboratory staff to characterizematerialsand processes
  • Responsible Engineers to support materials selection, design and analysis, qualification, failure analysis, flight, and reuse
  • Manufacturing and TPS engineers to develop formulations, processes, troubleshoot issues, and enable cost & rate while maintaining required performance
  • Build reliability and supply chain to ensure compliance and reliability
  • Relativity + Customer Fracture Control Boards to achieve vehicle reuse
  • Leadership to develop technical roadmaps, elevate risks, and overcome roadblocks

About you:

• Bachelor’s degree in materials science or engineering, chemistry, or related field
• 5+ years of experience relevant to the competencies listed below
• Leveling is flexible – please see other posting levels for expectations
• Experience with general M&P activities, such as material selection, process development, qualification, damage tolerance, inspections, risk assessments, and failure analysis
• A core commitment to accountability, collaboration, and execution
• A desire to establish and foster strong interdisciplinary relationships across the company
• An authentic, introspective, and inclusive mindset towards technical, interpersonal, and team growth and development
• Passion to work in a fast-paced and challenging environment on constantly iterating products + processes, driving impact on the Terran-R program as we ramp manufacturing rate + achieve reuse

Nice to haves, but not required:

• Demonstrated ownership and impact of non-metallic materials and their application to aerospace products, such as:
• Corks, foams, ceramics, and related thermal protection materials
• Primers, paints, and coatings for corrosion, thermal, and electrical applications
• Potting, staking, and conformal coats
• Elastomeric gaskets and seals
• Polymer-base material systems for non-structural and structural applications
• Dry film lubricants and greases
• Understanding of cryogenic and high temperature non-metallic material behavior
• Prior work with non-metallic testing standards and procedures
• Familiarity with contamination control and outgassing principles

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:

$124,000 - $186,000 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.