Staff Engine Systems Development Engineer

Telemetry Today LLC; Colorado; On-site; USD 164,000 - 246,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity

PTO & sick leave

Parental leave

Learning & development stipend

Job summary

Relativity Space is building rocket systems for Terran R, enabling rapid iteration from design to production. You will own engine system trades, manage interfaces, and contribute to development, testing, and simulation in a highly technical, fast-paced environment.

The role emphasizes ownership, problem-solving, and teamwork across propulsion, manufacturing, software, and avionics. Expect travel to test sites and potential schedule shifts to meet milestones.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field.
• 8+ years of relevant engineering experience, preferably in complex engineering system development and/or test environment.
• Experience applying engineering fundamentals in fluid mechanics & thermodynamics.
• Working knowledge of liquid-propellant rocket engines.
• Clear evidence of ownership, problem-solving skills, and effective team collaboration from school or work experience.
• Demonstrated drive to deliver on ambitious schedules, even if unconventional & creative solutions are necessary to do so.

Responsibilities

• Drive engine system architecture trades and CONOPS across the vehicle.
• Manage engine interfaces and negotiate requirements to optimize the vehicle.
• Support engine system development, analysis, and simulation.
• Assist engine testing and tool development as part of system integration.
• Lead collaborative projects with minimal oversight and bring deep technical acumen to problems.
• Travel ~15% to test and launch sites and occasional shift work for milestones.

Skills

Fluid mechanics

Thermodynamics

Ownership & problem-solving

Team collaboration

8+ years experience

Self-motivation

Education

Bachelor's degree in science, engineering, technology, or mathematics

Job description

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 Propulsion team at Relativity is focused on developing and delivering highly performant and manufacturable engines for Terran R. Engineers are responsible for the entire lifecycle of their parts, from initial design through production to qualification and flight. The team fosters a culture of bottoms-up decision-making, free from technical gatekeeping, where ownership and accountability are key at all levels. But designing engines with a quarter million pounds of thrust is just the beginning. As the flight configuration enters qualification, the team is now exploring modifications for future engines, including thrust upgrades, new cycles, and design for mass production.

About the Role:

This role may span several areas of our team depending on your skill set and the team's needs at the time. The core responsibilities are driving engine system (architecture + CONOPS) trades, managing engine interfaces & negotiating requirements to optimize for the vehicle, and supporting engine system development overall. You may additionally support engine system analysis and simulation, engine testing, tool development, and more. In engineering at the system level, you will be expected not just to coordinate & facilitate amongst other technical teams, but to bring your own deep technical acumen to bear on problems in this highly technical role.

In order to be successful in this role, you should be capable of leading collaborative projects to completion with minimal oversight. You should also be a self-starter who is always looking for ways to improve yourself & learn more about the systems that interface with yours. Along with these high expectations comes the opportunity to have a significant influence on a fast-growing startup company and to make rapid professional gains in an environment that encourages growth and risk.

This role requires an average of 15% travel to our test & launch sites and may occasionally require shifted schedules or weekend work for critical milestones.

About you:

• Experience applying engineering fundamentals in fluid mechanics & thermodynamics
• Clear evidence of ownership, problem-solving skills, and effective team collaboration from school or work experience
• Demonstrated drive to deliver on ambitious schedules, even and especially if unconventional & creative solutions are necessary to do so
• Bachelor's degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field
• Working knowledge of liquid-propellant rocket engines
• 8+ years of relevant experience, preferably in complex engineering system development and/or test environment

Nice to haves, but not required:

• Working knowledge of fluid components such as valves and instrumentation
• Working knowledge of engine subsystems such as combustion devices and turbomachinery

This position will be posted for a minimum of 5 days and will remain open until a qualified candidate is hired.

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.

• 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:

$164,000 - $246,000 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.

Please note: Relativity Space does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or referrals from recruitment agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited submission - via email, our website, social media, or directly to an employee - will be deemed the property of Relativity Space, and no fee will be owed absent a current, fully executed agreement with Talent Acquisition that specifically authorizes submissions for the applicable role.