Senior Technical Program Manager

Relativity Space; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 142,000 - 182,000; Full time

Job summary

Relativity Space is seeking a passionate Technical Program Manager to lead the development of the Aeon R engines for the Terran R launch vehicle. This role involves critical program management tasks such as resource allocation and risk management, contributing significantly to the aerospace industry's future. Candidates should have a strong engineering background and experience in complex project management, ensuring effective collaboration across multiple teams.

Benefits

Competitive salary and equity

Generous PTO and sick leave policy

Parental leave

Annual learning and development stipend

Qualifications

• 5+ years experience as a program manager or engineer on complex technical projects.
• Strong influencing skills and ability to coordinate with technical teams.
• Experience in managing risks and dependencies effectively.

Responsibilities

• Analyze requirements and create a reliable timeline for program deliverables.
• Monitor and report progress towards organizational goals.
• Identify and manage program risks related to resources and dependencies.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem Solving

Project Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or related fields

Job description

At Relativity Space, we have two audacious goals: to build the next great commercial launch company with Terran R and to become America's leading force in additive manufacturing innovation. Both contribute to our long-term vision of creating humanity’s industrial base on Mars, paving the way for interplanetary life to expand the possibilities of the human experience. This journey begins right here on Earth – where we design, build, and fly rockets to deliver customer payloads to orbit. Terran R, our medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket, fulfills the growing demand for launch capacity, thanks to our iterative approach that accelerates design, testing, and development while minimizing costs. While our groundbreaking research and development in 3D printing pushes the boundaries of large-scale additive manufacturing.

Your journey with us is more than just a job – it’s an opportunity to shape the future of aerospace technology, additive manufacturing, and the human experience alongside a community of passionate, creative individuals. Join us on this extraordinary journey, as we work together to transform our vision into reality.

About the Team:

The Propulsion team at Relativity is responsible for the successful development of the engines that will power the Terran R vehicle. We own their design from concept through to launch and reuse. Our team partners heavily with Manufacturing, Test, Launch, and Integration teams, striving to develop our engines in record time and to support Terran R's first launch in 2026. As part of this team, you will help build, test, and iterate on the full product lifecycle of our Aeon-R engine systems, seeing them mature and eventually bring Terran R into space.

About the Role:

We are hiring a Technical Program Manager to manage our work streams as we design, manufacture, and test the Aeon R engines for the Terran R launch vehicle. Successful candidates in this role will analyze and drive recommendations that balance the needs of the technical teams as well as the business overall. Where there are multiple paths to choose, this individual will align the team on a common pursuit. Where there are points of impasse, this individual will build a bridge. High judgment, strong leadership, low ego, and strategic influence are fundamental elements for this role.

• Timeline/Schedule: Analyze requirements, resources, and dependencies, to create and rally the team around a reliable timeline and schedule.
• Progress Tracking & Reporting: Monitor and report progress towards organizational goals, objectives, and milestones. Facilitate team interactions and ensure transparent communication of program status to relevant stakeholders.
• Dependency Mapping:Identify dependencies that are critical to program deliverables and provide visibility to cross-functional teams.
• Programmatic Risk Management:Identify and manage program risks (time, requirements, resources, dependencies, etc.)
• Resource Management:Identify resource gaps and orchestrate cross-functional planning for resource allocation, including headcount, budget allocation, and workspace needs. Ensure efficient utilization of resources to achieve program and departmental objectives.

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or related fields
• 5+ years of experience working on a complex technical project as a program manager or engineer
• Experience managing programs, building sustainable processes, and coordinating engineering activities
• Experience leading by influence and collaborate with technical owners to establish a plan
• Experience solving complex technical problems, manage ambiguity and design robust, scalable solutions
• Experience communicating effectively, to adjust approach across stakeholders and teams and to navigate both technical and business discussions

Nice to haves but not required:

• MBA or Advanced degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or related fields
• Experience in launch vehicle design, manufacturing, test or operations

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: $142,000 — $181,500 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.