Manufacturing Engineer II, Mechanisms

Relativity Space•Long Beach, CA

About The Position

Relativity Space is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer II for its Mechanisms Manufacturing team. The team is in the design release and New Product Introduction phase for Terran R, a reusable rocket, and works across vehicle design, supply chain, test, production, and vehicle integration to develop electromechanical and pneumatic hardware. Its products include landing-leg mechanisms, grid-fin actuators, pneumatic separation and release mechanisms, and linear and rotary electromechanical actuators. The team also develops manufacturing processes and tooling, trains technicians, and optimizes factory floor layouts. The engineer will own major mechanized assemblies and their child components from design release through testing and integration onto the Terran R launch vehicle. The role develops efficient, high-quality build and test flows that can scale over time. It includes driving assembly efforts through design integration, sourcing, sequencing, manufacturing bill of materials (mBOM) development, work-order creation, and specification authoring. The engineer also supports workcenter development, shop-floor operations, discrepancy resolution, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions, while providing feedback to improve design for manufacturability. The role includes mentoring other manufacturing engineers. Successful candidates are self-starters who can work autonomously in ambiguous, fast-paced environments, solve problems, uphold quality, and balance short- and long-term solutions. The position requires a bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, or manufacturing engineering and at least two years of experience building and testing hardware in a manufacturing environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, or manufacturing engineering.
At least 2 years of experience building and testing hardware in a manufacturing environment.
Extensive experience developing processes and authoring work instructions and/or test procedures for building and testing interdisciplinary mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic assemblies.
Experience interfacing with design engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, planning, and production personnel.
Extensive experience leading, executing, and managing large-scope process and/or quality improvements.
Ability to work autonomously with little supervision in a fast-paced and ambiguous environment.
Knowledge of at least two of the following: fastening and torquing operations; pneumatic and/or electromechanical assembly; electrical and/or pneumatic testing or functional checkouts; tooling design and fabrication; potting processes; grease plating processes; harness manufacturing; or machining complex products such as gears.

Nice To Haves

Successful New Product Introduction of an aerospace hardware system into a manufacturing, test, and production system.
Experience transitioning products from prototype to high-volume production.
Understanding of how to assess a situation and apply both short- and long-term solutions.
Working knowledge of rocket subsystems, including structures, mechanisms, high-pressure gas systems, and/or avionics.
Expert understanding of GD&T and drafting principles.
Experience in capacity analyses, DFMEA/PFMEA, and value stream mapping.

Responsibilities

Own major mechanized assemblies and child components from design release through test and successful integration onto the Terran R launch vehicle.
Develop build and test flows that support efficient, high-quality product flow and scale over time.
Drive assembly build and test efforts through design integration, part sourcing, assembly sequencing, mBOM development, build and test work-order creation, and specification authoring.
Support workcenter development by considering assembly and test operations, safety, tooling, capital equipment requirements, and company operational goals.
Provide hands-on support to shop-floor and production personnel, promptly addressing issues and providing upstream design-for-manufacturability feedback.
Analyze and disposition recurring manufacturing discrepancies and lead multidisciplinary teams in root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
Promote critical thinking and imaginative problem-solving to improve production efficiency and challenge established engineering and manufacturing practices.
Mentor other manufacturing engineers and support their technical and professional development.