Lead, Materials Characterization Engineer

Relativity Space • Long Beach, CA

75d

About The Position

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 re-use. With ownership across products, systems, and disciplines, engineers gain broad exposure and drive key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in materials characterization, with at least 3 years in a leadership or management role.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of core materials characterization techniques (machining/sample prep, mechanical testing, SEM, DSC/TGA, metallography, spectroscopy).
• Demonstrated experience leading teams, managing schedules and delivering results in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings into actionable insights.

Nice To Haves

• Masters or Ph.D in Materials Science or related discipline.
• Prior leadership experience in aerospace, defense or rocket/space industry labs.
• Familiarity with materials (aluminum, stainless, Inconel, copper) and processes (additive manufacturing, welding, adhesives, polymers) used in propulsion and structural systems for aerospace applications.
• Proven record of developing new test methods and advancing lab capabilities.
• Experience with quality systems, standards and compliance (ASTM, AS9100, AWS D17.1, NASA, ISO).

Responsibilities

• Manage a team of materials characterization engineers, set priorities, provide mentorship and develop career growth paths.
• Foster a culture of safety, technical excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Direct the planning, execution and review of material property testing (machining, sample prep, mechanical testing, metallography, SEM, heat treatment, thermal/chemical).
• Provide technical guidance on test method development, data interpretation and root cause investigations for partner teams.
• Ensure test activities align with Terran-R program needs, aerospace standards and customer/mission requirements.
• Partner with M&P, design, manufacturing, quality and production teams to ensure timely and accurate data is delivered.
• Communicate results and insights to engineering leadership to drive decision making for material selection and qualification.
• Define roadmap for characterization capabilities to support future vehicle and propulsion systems.
• Develop budget, staffing plans and resource strategies for the lab.
• Represent the characterization function in design reviews, material down-selects and failure investigation.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees