Staff Materials & Processes Engineer, Corrosion

Relativity; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 161,000 - 207,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a pioneering aerospace company as a Materials & NDE Engineer, focusing on corrosion control for innovative launch vehicles. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of aerospace technology while collaborating with a passionate team. With a commitment to accountability and interdisciplinary relationships, you will guide the implementation of corrosion control strategies, mentor fellow engineers, and drive the development of cutting-edge materials. Be part of a transformative journey that aims to redefine the aerospace industry and contribute to humanity's exploration of interplanetary life.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Equity options

Generous PTO and sick leave

Parental leave

Annual learning and development stipend

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in materials science and engineering.
• Strong foundation in corrosion control and materials performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead corrosion control efforts for Terran-R launch vehicle.
• Research and integrate novel corrosion control materials.
• Mentor engineers on best practices in corrosion control.

Skills

Materials Science

Corrosion Control

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials Science or Engineering

Job description

Long Beach, California

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. 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 Materials & NDE Engineering team is responsible for the development, characterization, and inspection of materials across the Terran R launch vehicle. We specialize in rapid implementation of material systems through robust internal testing capabilities and first principles driven qualification approaches. We have recently made our first primary structure barrel, supported introduction of next generation powder additive alloys in the Aeon-R engine, and developed 100% in-cell NDE inspection capabilities for WAAM manufactured hardware.

About the Role:

• Serve as the company’s solely accountable M&P engineer for corrosion control on Terran-R.
• Define and implement the overarching Terran-R Corrosion Control Plan for expendable and reusable block manifests and hardware.
• Guide and align interdisciplinary partners through corrosion control requirements and rationale.
• Research, develop, and integrate novel corrosion control materials and processes.
• Mentor engineers on corrosion control best practices and procedures.
• Interface with:
• Materials engineering to implement corrosion control across the vehicle.
• Laboratory staff to characterize materials and processes.
• Designers to identify pain points and drive M&P selection.
• Analysts to align M&P data with predictive analytical techniques.
• Manufacturing to control processes and improve operations.
• Integration to collect data and troubleshoot issues.
• Inspectors to develop standards and train personnel.
• Supply chain to specify vendor requirements and audit criteria.
• Leadership to elevate risks and overcome roadblocks.

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in materials science or engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience relevant to the competencies listed below that demonstrate a strong foundation of materials science and engineering principles.
• A 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.

Nice to haves but not required:

• Experience in the corrosion control of coastal launch vehicles or similar naval aerospace products.
• Hands-on experience conducting failure investigations, hardware inspections, and relevant laboratory techniques.
• Knowledge of property-process-performance-structure relationships of M&P relevant to corrosion control, such as:
• Primary and secondary metallic structures.
• Inhibitors, surface treatments, and coatings.
• Familiarity with corrosion-relevant M&P engineering disciplines (e.g. fracture mechanics, life analysis, descriptive & inferential statistics) and communities (e.g. AMPP/NACE).

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!

Hiring Range:

$161,000 - $206,800 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.