Senior Weld Engineer

Relativity Space•Long Beach, CA

About The Position

Relativity Space is building rockets to serve today’s needs and tomorrow’s breakthroughs. The Terran R vehicle will deliver customer payloads to orbit, meeting the growing demand for launch capacity. This role is within the Materials and NDE (Non-Destructive Evaluation) team, which plays a central role in enabling Terran R to fly, re-fly, and scale by developing, characterizing, and inspecting materials and processes across all parts of the vehicle. The team works at the intersection of innovation and execution, balancing performance and reliability with cost, quality, and schedule. As the company moves toward first flight and beyond, the challenges become more exciting, offering opportunities to shape how they design and develop for reuse. Engineers gain broad exposure and drive key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Welding Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
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

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Welding Engineering or related field
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

Responsibilities

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