Senior Mechanical Engineer

Relativity Space; City of Long Beach (NY); On-site; USD 132,000 - 198,000; Full time

Job summary

Relativity Space is seeking an experienced fluids hardware engineer to design and implement fluid and propulsion components for the Terran R launch vehicle. You will perform design and analysis of pressure components, ensure aerospace-grade performance, and plan qualification testing.

This is an on-site role at the Long Beach factory, enabling rapid iteration with design and manufacturing teams. A degree in mechanical engineering and 5+ years in fluids system design are required, with hands-on

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years’ experience designing fluids system components for aerospace.
• Strong fundamentals in thermodynamics, structures, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer.
• Experience with CFD/FEA tools (ANSYS).
• Proficient in NX, CREO or SolidWorks CAD packages.

Responsibilities

• Design and analysis of pressure components for fluid and propulsion systems.
• Detailed fluid, thermal, and structural analyses of parts and assemblies.
• Plan and execute qualification testing of components.
• Conduct trade studies to optimize architectures meeting system requirements.

Skills

Fluids system design

CFD Analysis

FEA Analysis

NX

CREO

SolidWorks

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

ANSYS

FEMAP

Job description

About the Team:

The Stage Fluids team is responsible for the design and delivery of propellant, pressurant, pneumatics, and other fluid systems that turn structures into functioning rockets! The team has full ownership across design, production, test, and flight, maintaining a holistic view of Terran R, focused not on isolated parts but integrated functionality. Working on-site at the factory means you’re never far from the hardware, enabling rapid iteration and tight feedback loops across design and manufacturing. You won’t just be handed requirements: you’ll be expected to ask the right questions, collaborate with partners across the company, and ultimately find the best solutions for Terran R.

About the Role:

In this role, you will be responsible for the hardware design and implementation of that hardware into vehicle fluid systems, ensuring a reliable and efficient operation of our Terran R launch vehicle. Your primary tasks will be focused on:

• Design and analysis of clean sheet of pressure components for launch vehicle fluid and propulsion systems
• Detailed fluid, thermal, and structural analysis of piece parts and assemblies
• Development and qualification test planning and execution of internally developed components
• Conducting trade studies to produce architectures and designs that satisfy system requirements

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree (Mechanical Engineering or relevant)
• 5+ years of experience working with fluids system component design
• Direct experience applying engineering fundamentals in thermodynamics, structures, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer
• Experience with CFD and FEA tools (ANSYS)
• Project experience with all the following:
  • Experience with a commercial CAD package (NX, CREO, Solidworks)
  • Experience designing fluid system pressure components (fittings, seals, valves, regulators, etc.) and qualifying them for aerospace applications
  • Experience with FEA (ie. ANSYS, FEMAP) tools to analyze component structural margins

Nice to haves but not required:

• Experience with internal flow CFD to assess component performance

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:

$132,000—$198,000 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].