Manufacturing Engineer I, Composites
Relativity Space · Long Beach, CA
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 2+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- Today
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level manufacturing role at Relativity Space (aerospace & defense) in Long Beach, CA.
- They ask for
- 2+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Machining, Tooling, CATIA / NX
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 26, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $111k–$165k.
Median of the low and high ends of 131 live postings that list pay, out of 359 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 358 other live manufacturing postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (2+ vs 5+)
Typical $110k–$153k, from 116 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Tooling 52%
- ✓ New product launch 50%
- Root cause 38%
- Automation 35%
- ✓ CATIA / NX 28%
- ✓ Machining 27%
✓ = 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
70 other open roles at this site · 9 people we found in manufacturing roles at Relativity Space.
- Build Reliability Engineer I · Reliability
- Manufacturing Engineer II, Paint & TPS · Manufacturing
- Senior Robotics Automation and Controls Engineer · Controls · Senior
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanical Fluid Assemblies · Reliability · Senior
- Sr Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanical Fluids Assemblies · Reliability · Senior
- Manufacturing Engineer II, Machining · Manufacturing
Full description from Relativity SpaceAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
responsibilities
– from factory floor layout, to developing complex tooling for novel processes, and interfacing with our vehicle engineering team to heavily influence design of the rocket. We leverage our deep expertise to translate engineering
requirements
into highly optimized production lines, working cross functionally to consistently enhance the vehicle program.
About the Role
- ◆Own the manufacture of composite assemblies for TerranR from design release through successful installation onto the launch vehicle —partner with design engineering and critical suppliers to develop a manufacturable product, capable of scaling production rate with time
- ◆Drive development of internal processes for composite manufacturing, including lamination, trimming, drilling, surface preparation, adhesive bonding, mechanical assembly, grounding and repair to ensure consistent quality and compliance with design
requirements
and industry best practices
- ✓Drive first build efforts and improve existing product lines through design integration, assembly sequencing, mBOM development, build work order creation, and specification authoring
- ✓Support the shop floor and production personnel through responsive issue resolution and provide upstream feedback as we innovate the next generation of manufacturing technology
- ✓Develop strong working relationships with Engineering, Build Reliability, Supply Chain, and external partners to ensure all company objectives can be met
Nice to haves, but not required
- ✓New product introduction of an aerospace hardware product or process with proven success
- ✓Experience in managing multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
- ✓Working knowledge of typical manufacturing execution systems and quality management systems
- ✓Master’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline
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 owns all process development, fabrication strategy, and production equipment for Terran R, our next generation, reusable rocket. This team has a wide variety of
About You
- •Bachelor’s degree in aeronautical, mechanical engineering, or other engineering discipline with 1-2 years progressive and related work experience
- •3D & 2D design/drafting working experience per ASME Y14.5M (NX preferred)
- •Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interface with engineering and manufacturing groups to understand process constraints and provide design inputs for improved manufacturability
- •Working experience with at least 2 of the following processes: composites manufacturing, autoclave or OOA processing, adhesive bonding, trim and drill operations, machining, mechanical fastening and torquing operations, critical lifting, tool design and fabrication, work center development
- •Ability to perform trade studies using first principles and engineering fundamentals
- •Highly self-motivated and able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment
Hiring Range
$90,000 — $136,000 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.