Senior Software Development Engineer in Test, Relativity Space

• You don’t need an aerospace background: what matters is experience with high-reliability software for complex systems
• This role is deeply cross-functional and requires strong technical judgment, attention to detail, and proactive problem-solving
• 5+ years of experience in software development or test engineering, including 2+ years architecting automated test frameworks for integrated systems combining hardware, firmware, and software
• Proven ability to design and scale unit, integration, and system-level automation frameworks, with strong software skills in Python, Rust, or C++ for tooling, validation pipelines, and simulation workflows
• Excellent debugging skills, strong ownership, and attention to detail, with ability to operate in fast-paced, cross-functional environments
• Familiarity with CI/CD workflows, containerization (Docker), telemetry/log aggregation, and automated test pipelines
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across software, hardware, and operations teams to align on delivery milestones and integration needs

Desirable

• The Vehicle Software team develops the safety-critical software that runs on Terran R. The work spans a distributed, real-time control system operating under extreme conditions like Mach 5 atmospheric flight, with a deployment pace that allows you to see your code run on rocket engines daily
• The team is building new system architecture from the ground up and just as importantly, testing, releasing, and deploying it
• This is a rare opportunity to shape the foundation of Terran R’s software stack while directly influencing performance, reliability, and flight success
• TRADE (Test, Release, and Deployment Engineering) is a core engineering team within Vehicle Software at Relativity Space
• As we scale from development to full-scale vehicle integration and launch operations, TRADE ensures our software is rigorously tested, confidently released, and successfully deployed across all environments from simulation to the launch pad
• As a Senior SDET on the Vehicle Software TRADE (Test, Release and Deployment Engineering) team, you will own the automated validation lifecycle of integrated vehicle software. You will design and lead end-to-end testing frameworks that ensure each software release is reliable, traceable, and ready for use across production, integration labs, and launch environments
• You will work with software, hardware, systems, and operations teams to define validation scope, align quality gates, and deliver releases that maintain readiness and consistency while adapting to evolving requirements, configuration changes, and fast-moving timelines
• Own the architecture and implementation of scalable automation frameworks (primarily using Python and/or Rust) to validate full-stack vehicle software including FSW, ESW, and configuration artifacts across software-in-the-loop (SITL), hardware-in-the-loop (HITL), and integrated system environments, leveraging reusable libraries, automation services, and structured validation interfaces
• Develop automated integration and end-to-end test suites that exercise real-time control flows, telemetry, mission sequences, and failure scenarios in both SITL and HITL setups
• Implement automated test cases and analyzers that benchmark performance, validate qualification metrics, and publish dashboards (e.g., Grafana) to improve traceability and data-driven decision making
• Drive continuous test execution through CI pipelines (BVT, integration, nightly, weekly) to deliver fast regression feedback and release confidence
• Lead system-level test execution during release cycles—prepare environments, execute scenarios, evaluate results, and maintain traceable artifacts
• Validate subsystem integrations prior to full-system execution, perform root-cause analysis during anomalies, and coordinate with development teams for resolution
• Present release readiness reviews by aggregating test results, metrics, quality gates, and risk assessments
• Mentor engineers on automation architecture, instrumentation strategies, and scalable test-design patterns