Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Structures
Relativity Space · Long Beach, CA
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 20 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A senior manufacturing role at Relativity Space (aerospace & defense) in Long Beach, CA.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- GD&T, Machining, Tooling
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At a glance
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Your game plan for this job
Most people just hit Apply. Do these first and you show up with someone on the inside.
- 1
Find 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at this site
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply most.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
Ask about the work, not for a referral. We write it for you.
- 3
Have a 15-minute chat
Good questions for this role:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply, ideally with a referral
Ask if they'd refer you or introduce you to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link and tell them the day you apply.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
About the role
About the Role
Own the shop floor for one or more primary structure assembly work centers, clearing barriers and keeping production moving
Champion process improvements across work centers, incorporating learnings from the first Terran R build
Partner with design, manufacturing, and reliability engineers, production teams, and outside vendors to drive builds forward
Write work instructions, specifications, and best practices for high-fidelity processes, and standardize them across the manufacturing team
Provide Design for Manufacturing feedback to structures teams from development through the first prototype and flight builds
Senior: 5+ years related experience
Hands-on history supporting complex assembly builds, including making risk calls to disposition issues and keep production moving
Strong fundamentals in statics, mechanics of materials, process improvement and factory design, fastening and joining, and machining
Working knowledge of drilling and trim ops, tooling, inspection methods, and GD&T
Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work across engineering and manufacturing to understand process constraints and feed back manufacturability inputs
Self-motivated, able to prioritize and execute in a high-pressure environment
Nice to have, but not required
Direct experience with drill, trim, and fastening operations on aerospace products
New product introduction of an aerospace hardware system into manufacturing, test, and production, with proven success
Project management experience in a fast-paced environment
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.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
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 Manufacturing team at Relativity Space is currently deep in manufacturing trades and process development for Terran R, our next generation, fully re-useable rocket. This team has a wide variety of responsibilities—from determining the most efficient factory floor layout, to developing and implementing complex tooling and processes, and even interfacing with the vehicle engineering team to heavily influence the design of the rocket. Unique to Relativity, you will get to work across many teams to iterate and support development of the vehicle program.
About You
Bachelor's degree in manufacturing, aerospace, mechanical, or another engineering discipline
Hiring Range
$122,000 — $182,000 USD
Please note: Relativity Space does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or referrals from recruitment agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited submission - via email, our website, social media, or directly to an employee - will be deemed the property of Relativity Space, and no fee will be owed absent a current, fully executed agreement with Talent Acquisition that specifically authorizes submissions for the applicable role.