
Senior Weld Engineer
Relativity Space · Long Beach, CA
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 13 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 preferred
- Tools it names
- Root cause, Robotics, Automation, Welding
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $114k–$168k.
Median of the low and high ends of 118 live postings that list pay, out of 323 manufacturing engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 322 other live manufacturing postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Typical (5+ years)
Typical $111k–$159k, from 106 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Tooling 53%
- ✓ New product launch 51%
- ✓ Root cause 40%
- ✓ Automation 35%
- Machining 29%
- CATIA / NX 28%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Relativity Space
We found 9 people at this company and state: 7 in this kind of role, 2 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Piunik → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- 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 with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 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.
This plant: Relativity Space in Long Beach
65 other open roles at this site · 9 people we found in manufacturing roles at Relativity Space.
- Manufacturing Engineer II, Machining · Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Engineer I, Stage Forming · Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Engineer I, Stage Machining · Manufacturing
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Stage Forming · Manufacturing · Senior
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Stage Machining · Manufacturing · Senior
- Friction Stir Welding Technician I, First Shift · Manufacturing · Technician
Full description from Relativity SpaceAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
About the Role
- ◆Lead cross-functional collaboration with design, manufacturing, and quality teams to develop, qualify, and optimize advanced fusion welding processes and equipment/tools for the Terran-R launch vehicle
- ◆Own weld process development and qualification, including authoring and approving weld procedure specifications and
qualifications
(WPS/PQR) in accordance with AWS D17.1 and related aerospace standards
- ✓Provide expert technical support to manufacturing operations—troubleshoot complex welding challenges, perform root cause analysis, and drive sustainable corrective actions
- ✓Establish and maintain process controls, quality documentation, and inspection criteria to ensure compliance with aerospace standards and production goals
- ✓Mentor and guide junior weld engineers and technicians, supporting technical development and promoting best practices in welding process control and manufacturing efficiency
- ✓Identify and lead continuous improvement initiatives to advance welding automation, throughput, and reliability across production systems
Nice to haves, but not required
- ✓Welding Engineering B.S., M.S.
- ✓Hands-on experience with manual/semi-automatic GTAW, orbital tube welding, and laser welding systems
- ✓Deep familiarity with AWS D17.1 and related aerospace welding codes, standards, and inspection
requirements
- ✓Experience with automation integration, robotic welding, or weld data analytics for process monitoring
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 Materials and NDE (Non-Destructive Evaluation) team plays a central role in enabling Terran R to fly, re-fly, and scale: developing, characterizing, and inspecting materials and processes across all parts of the vehicle. From welding and additive manufacturing to advanced composites, the team works at the intersection of innovation and execution, balancing performance and reliability with cost, quality, and schedule. As we move toward first flight and beyond, the challenges become more exciting, offering opportunities to shape how we design and develop for reuse. With ownership across products, systems, and disciplines, engineers gain broad exposure and drive key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations.
About You
- •Bachelor’s degree in Welding Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (Master’s degree preferred)
- •5+ years of experience in fusion welding process development, qualification, and production support within aerospace, space, or high-reliability manufacturing environments
- •Extensive knowledge of fusion welding processes (GTAW, GMAW, laser, and orbital tube welding) and related equipment setup, programming, and parameter optimization
- •Demonstrated experience with aerospace materials such as stainless steel, nickel, aluminum, and titanium alloys
- •Proven ability to lead cross-functional problem-solving, communicate and drive technical decision-making to implement robust welding solutions in fast-paced production settings
Hiring Range
$124,000 — $186,000 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.
