Senior Propulsion Engineer, Engine Base Heatshield Verified today
About the Team
The Propulsion team develops and delivers high-performance, manufacturable engines for Terran R. Engineers own the entire lifecycle of their parts from initial design through production to qualification and flight. The team operates with bottoms-up decision-making and emphasizes ownership and accountability. As the flight configuration enters qualification, the team is now exploring modifications for future engines, including thrust upgrades, new cycles, and design for mass production.
About the Role
The Propulsion Integrated Design team seeks a Responsible Engineer to own the design, development, and test of Aeon-R heatshield components. The Aeon-R engines require robust Thermal Protection Systems (TPS)/heatshield hardware to withstand extreme thermal environments and loads from entry, descent, and landing. You will be responsible for the design, analysis, integration, and iteration of structural heatshield hardware critical to engine survival and reuse through launch and landing.
You will:
- Design, analyze, develop, test, and qualify heatshield hardware for multiple engine and flight configurations
- Leverage development testing and flight data to continuously iterate upon hardware
- Analyze and troubleshoot post-flight conditions of heatshield hardware to assess reuse suitability and drive future improvements
- Partner closely with peer Responsible Engineers across Propulsion and Vehicle organizations to optimize mechanical interfaces
- Collaborate with manufacturing and supply chain to strategize and ramp designs from development to production
- Collaborate with integration to install hardware to Aeon-R engines and Terran R vehicle
- Spend time on the manufacturing floor to oversee builds and collect feedback from technicians and manufacturing engineers
About You
Required:
- Bachelor's degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field
- 5+ years of experience with the design of structural hardware
- Experience applying fluid, thermal, structural, and mechanical design fundamentals
- Experience with Computer Aided Design (CAD) software
- Demonstrated experience with GD&T and mechanical drafting
- Experience using Siemens NX, SOLIDWORKS, or similar CAD software
- Excellent written and oral communication, especially translating technical concepts for non-technical audiences
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere
- Demonstrated drive to deliver on ambitious schedules, especially when unconventional and creative solutions are necessary
Nice to haves:
- Experience in the design of propulsion components and systems, particularly hardware used in extreme thermal environments
- Experience working on thermal protection systems/heatshields directly
- Experience with all phases of the product lifecycle: development, qualification, production ramp, and final integration
- Experience with Siemens NX, Teamcenter, and ANSYS Workbench software specifically
- Familiarity with industry best practices and aerospace standards (AS, NAS, SAE, etc.)
Compensation
Hiring range: $132,000 to $198,000 USD. Compensation determined based on experience, qualifications, and job-related factors. Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, generous PTO and sick leave, parental leave, and an annual learning and development stipend.