Staff Optical Communications Engineer Long Beach, California

Relativity; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 188,000 - 251,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity

Generous PTO

Sick leave policy

Parental leave

Annual learning stipend

Job summary

Relativity is looking for a Staff Optical Communications Engineer to lead the architecture and design of a deep-space optical terminal. The role involves translating mission needs into system performance requirements and overseeing the implementation across teams.

Ideal candidates should possess a degree in a relevant field and 7+ years of hands-on experience in laser communications and optical systems. The position includes a competitive salary and various rewards, including generous PTO.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in laser communications or optical systems engineering.
• Proven ability to manage complex systems through qualification and deployment.
• Deep understanding of optical communications subsystems like PAT, modems, and photonic hardware.

Responsibilities

• Own architecture, design, and delivery of optical communications terminal.
• Develop system performance requirements and drive implementation.
• Lead development campaigns to validate performance.

Skills

Laser communications

Optical systems engineering

Spacecraft communications system development

Electromechanical prototyping

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering

Job description

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.

About the Team:

The Interplanetary Sciences Program was established to expand access to scientific exploration across our solar system. Its mission is to make planetary research faster, more affordable, and more capable than ever before by rethinking how science missions are designed, built, and operated. The program aims to enable scientists to send instruments to distant worlds without decades of development or prohibitive costs. By creating a sustainable model for interplanetary exploration, we are transforming space science from an occasional event into a continuous process of discovery that accelerates knowledge, broadens participation, and inspires the next generation of explorers.

About the Role:

As a Staff Optical Communications Engineer within the Interplanetary Sciences Program, you will own the end‑to‑end architecture, design, development, and delivery of a deep‑space optical communications terminal. You will translate mission needs into system performance requirements, develop architectures, and drive implementation through in‑house design or external partnerships.

In a fast‑paced, iterative environment, you’ll lead hands‑on development campaigns to evaluate key technologies, derisk interfaces, and validate performance before full system integration. Working across internal and external teams, you will turn concepts into hardware, balancing agility and rigor as you move quickly from analysis to prototypes to flight‑ready systems. Ultimately, you will lead the effort to deliver a robust, high‑performance optical communications capability that enables breakthrough science across the solar system.

About You:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field
• 7+ years of experience in laser communications, optical systems engineering, or spacecraft communications system development
• Proven ability to take complex technical systems from concept through qualification, integration, and operational deployment
• Hands‑on proficiency in electromechanical prototyping, including integration of optics, electronics, and mechanical subsystems such as gimbals, pointing mechanisms, and precision mounts
• Deep understanding of optical communications subsystems, including pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT); modems; and photonic hardware
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to synthesize technical details and drive decision‑making across engineering and program teams

Nice to haves but not required:

• Experience with spaceflight hardware environmental testing and qualification
• Familiarity with NASA or commercial spacecraft systems engineering processes in an applied / New‑Space manner is a plus
• Experience with deep‑space or high‑radiation avionics systems

Compensation

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

$188,000 - $251,000 USD

Equal Employment Opportunity

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.