Staff Launch Mechanical Engineer - Launch Structures

Frontdoor Defense; Florida; On-site; USD 150,000 - 226,000; Full time

Job summary

Relativity Space in Cape Canaveral, FL, is seeking a Staff Launch Mechanical Engineer to lead end-to-end hardware design for launch structures. You will own complex mechanical development, coordinate with propulsion, manufacturing, and test teams, and deliver robust structures under tight schedules.

The ideal candidate has 7+ years in large precision structural builds, strong CAD skills (NX, Creo, SolidWorks, CATIA), and proven FEA capability (Nastran/ANSYS).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in manufacturing, mechanical, aerospace, or equivalent
• 7+ years of experience in large precision structural fabrication
• Proficient in CAD tools: NX, Creo, SolidWorks, CATIA
• Strong first principles reasoning and FEA capabilities (hand calculations, Nastran/ANSYS)
• Experience with motion control mechanisms and over-center rotating devices
• Excellent problem solving, communication, and teamwork

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end hardware design for launch structures
• Collaborate with launch site civil and fluids engineering teams
• Perform FEA analyses and hand calculations
• Coordinate with fabrication partners for hardware delivery
• Develop and review testing or operation procedures

Skills

Large precision structures

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Communication

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering (manufacturing, mechanical, aerospace, or equivalent)

Tools

NX CAD

Creo CAD

SolidWorks

CATIA

Nastran

ANSYS

FEMAP

Job description

Staff Launch Mechanical Engineer - Launch Structures

Lead end-to-end hardware design for launch structures at Relativity Space's Cape Canaveral site

Location: Cape Canaveral, Florida

Compensation: $150,000 - 226,000 USD / year

About The Role

Join Relativity Space

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 Role

As a Launch Mechanical Engineer, you will be at the forefront of creating a world class orbital launch site. In order to be successful in this role, you should be someone who thrives in ambiguity and is able to lead projects into completion. Ideally, you are someone who has come from a fast paced, aerospace or mechanical engineering environment, having completed difficult projects while collaborating effectively with other key groups. Pressure around timelines, cost, and quality unleash the best in you, while finding creative ways to optimize across trade-offs. This role requires the highest attention to detail, while being able to abstract from day-to-day challenges while ensuring alignment on high-level objectives. Excellent judgement and analytical skills are a must, as well as a high degree of professional ethics and integrity. You bring curiosity for our unique technology and our production processes and are eager to develop a next generation launch site. In this role, you will be responsible for end-to-end hardware design, with a strong emphasis on ownership and accountability. Your day-to-day tasks will include working within our CAD environment (NX), conducting FEA analyses using Nastran and/or ANSYS, and performing supporting hand calculations. You will collaborate closely with the launch site civil and fluids engineering teams, various vehicle engineering groups, and the test team. Additionally, you may contribute to the development and review of procedures for testing or operating the equipment you design and analyze. This position also involves coordination with both in-house and external fabrication partners to ensure successful hardware delivery.

About You

To be successful in this role, you should have:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering discipline (manufacturing, mechanical, aerospace, or equivalent)
• 7+ years of experience manufacturing with a focus on large precision structural builds
• Experience with CAD (NX, Creo, Solidworks, CATIA)
• First Principles and complex structural analysis capabilities including hand calculations and Finite Element Analysis.
• Experience with motion control mechanism and over-center rotating devices
• Excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Must have strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team environment
• High organizational skills in working on more than one project simultaneously
• Ability to perform technically complex projects using independent judgment and personal initiative
• Recognize and act on opportunities; maintain flexibility to adjust as requirements shift or constraints change
• Ability to create drawings and use GD&T effectively

Nice to haves but not required:

• 10+ years of experience in a full cycle design engineering role
• Experience working with AFSPCMAN 91-710
• Experience Working with DOD, USAF, and NASA
• Experience in the aerospace (rocket) sector
• Extensive experience with NX
• Experience with ANSYS and FEMAP
• Experience with Launch GSE Operations
• Experience with large steel/aluminum structures

Successful candidates must clear a background check administered by the US government to obtain clearance for on-site work at our government partner location in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

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:$150,000 —$226,000 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].