Manager of Propulsion Development Engineering, Relativity Space

• Bachelor’s degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field
• 8+ years of relevant engineering experience in a complex system development and/or test environment, with a minimum of 2 years of direct experience with liquid-propellant rocket engines
• Experience leading teams
• Experience applying engineering fundamentals in fluid mechanics & thermodynamics

Desirable

• 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
• This role may span several areas of our team depending on your skillset and the team’s needs at the time
• The core technical responsibilities of the role & of your team 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 – and to coach the folks on your team to do the same
• You will also lead a team of engineers with similar responsibilities as the above
• This will require mentorship, project management, establishing priorities, communicating with leadership, providing technical guidance, and recruiting
• Leaders at Relativity are expected to be both people leaders & highly technical – you will balance your time between effectively supporting your team’s growth and success at Relativity and making direct technical contributions of your own
• You will serve as a mentor to guide the team, but will also learn from peers & mentors of your own within propulsion & the broader company
• And in addition to learning from each other, we all learn from the engine – Aeon R is a novel engine that’s never been built before, and with every engine test it gives us new mysteries to solve and challenges to grow from
• In order to be successful in this role, you should be capable of leading collaborative projects to completion with minimal oversight and supporting your team in doing the same
• You should also be a self-starter who is always looking for ways to improve yourself & your team, and learn more about the systems that interface with yours
• You should be someone who cares deeply about the people on your team & is invested in their growth
• 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 is full-time onsite at our factory in Long Beach, CA
• 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