Combustion Devices Engineer II

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 Team

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.

About the Role

In this role, you'll directly contribute to the design and qualification of the Aeon-R and Aeon-V combustion devices hardware from concept to detailed design and test. You will use your experience quantifying conduction, convection, and radiation heat transfer to aid design teams in developing high performing injectors, thrust chambers, igniters, and heat exchangers. Not just an expert in running software, you'll utilize your expertise to identify appropriate analytical methods, anchor models to test data, and work closely with designers to inform design paths and validate requirement compliance. To be successful in this role, you should have a strong understanding of fundamental physics and how to apply them to new, interesting problems to resolve ambiguity and drive projects to completion. You should be self-motivated, adaptable, and able to contribute significantly to a fast-paced, integrated vehicle program. You will have the opportunity to have a significant influence on major engine hardware and to make rapid professional gains in an environment that encourages growth and risk.

About You

• Bachelor's degree in a science or engineering field
• 2+ years relevant experience conducting fluids analysis
• Experience with analysis tools such as ANSYS, Thermal Desktop, or similar
• Experience applying engineering first principles thermodynamic, heat transfer, and fluid flow first principles
• Experience communicating and explaining complex technical information to teammates and leadership

Nice to haves but not required:

• Graduate degree in a science or engineering field
• A strong commitment to accountability, collaboration, and execution
• An authentic, introspective, and inclusive mindset towards technical, interpersonal, and team growth & development
• Relevant experience in a rocket engine development and/or test environment
• Working knowledge of engine subsystems, such as combustion devices
• Knowledge of structural failure mechanisms, and fatigue and fracture mechanics
• We believe varied perspectives & backgrounds strengthen our team. Prior experience in aerospace is not required

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:

$112,000 - $143,000 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.