--- title: 'Aerothermal Engineer II at Relativity Space' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/aerothermal-engineer-ii-relativity-space-long-beach-24ebphdgr377' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-08' --- # Aerothermal Engineer II at Relativity Space - **Company:** Relativity Space - **Location:** Long Beach, CA - **Compensation:** $103k–$155k - **Posted:** 2025-07-18 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08 - **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/relativity/jobs/8079493002?gh_jid=8079493002 ## Job description 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: Relativity’s Integrated Performance teams ensure that our products work across all systems and disciplines, from trajectory design to aerodynamics to reliability analysis and beyond. Our groups size the Terran R rocket, design its missions for customer success, reliability, and reusability, and ensure that every system on the rocket and ground is engineered correctly for the demanding environments of launch and entry. Recently, we completed the preliminary design and analysis of Terran R including Relativity’s first-ever work on launch vehicle reusability, spanning advanced trajectory simulations, wind tunnel testing, and structures analysis, among many other projects. About the Role: - Develop and execute computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses to solve novel challenges in vehicle entry heating and supersonic retropropulsion - Drive the design of major Terran R system elements – like fins, flaps, heat shields, and primary structure – to meet criteria for temperature and heating - Guide and mentor responsible hardware engineers to ensure hardware meets aerothermal requirements - Scope and develop aerothermal databases for ascent and entry, including uncertainty quantification, from multiple sources like CFD, empirical methods, and wind tunnel testing - Size thermal protection systems (TPS) for flight - Support re-usable TPS material development and testing - Mature Relativity’s tools for developing and communicating aerothermal data, including custom and commercial code, databases, and data processing tools To be successful in this role, you should be self-motivated, adaptable, and able to contribute significantly to a fast-paced, integrated vehicle program. You should also be able to resolve ambiguity and drive projects to completion. Ideally, you have significant compressible flow, CFD, thermal analysis, and conjugate heat transfer experience as well as a proven track record completing projects successfully in a highly collaborative environment. On a weekly basis, you will be performing analysis, developing software tools, and supporting design teams. You will also use your strong organizational skills to properly manage the documentation and communication of your actions, recommendations, and decisions. About You: - Undergraduate degree in engineering or related field - 2+ years relevant experience - Proficiency in compressible flow and thermal analysis, preferably on entry vehicles - Experience executing CFD workflows for external flow, preferably including engine plume simulation - Experience solving cross-disciplinary design problems on integrated vehicles - Proficiency in Python and industry-standard CFD tools like FUN3D and Star-CCM+, including use of HPC clusters Nice to Haves, but Not Required: - Graduate degree in engineering or related field - 5+ years relevant experience across 1 or more program lifecycles - Experience with thermal protection system sizing & analysis using standard tools like FIAT, CHAR, MINIVER, or LAURA - Exposure to aerothermal instrumentation, wind tunnel and flight testing 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. Compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, a generous PTO and sick leave policy, parental leave, an annual learning and development stipend, and more! To see some of the benefits & perks we offer, please visit [here.](https://px.sequoia.com/relativityspace) Hiring Range: $103,000—$155,000 USD We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at accommodations@relativityspace.com. 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. ## About Relativity Space ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Relativity Space builds reusable, 3D‑printed rockets to make space access more reliable, routine, and accessible. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series‑funded; latest leadership change in 2025). - **Headquarters**: Long Beach, California, USA - **Founded**: 2015 (publicly active since 2016) - **Founders**: Tim Ellis and Jordan Noone ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Aerospace – launch vehicles, additive manufacturing, interplanetary exploration. - **Target customers**: B2B – blue‑chip companies, telecommunications operators, government agencies, and science/exploration organisations. - **Mission**: “To better connect humanity to space and to the universe beyond our planet … make space more accessible, reliable, and sustainable.” ## Products & Services - **[Terran R](https://www.relativityspace.com/)**: Reusable medium‑to‑heavy‑lift launch vehicle. Configurations deliver up to 33,500 kg to LEO (expendable) and 23,500 kg to LEO (downrange landing). Designed for efficiency, scalability, and rapid market entry. - **[Aeon R & Aeon V Engines](https://www.relativityspace.com/locations)**: In‑house, 3D‑printed methane‑fuelled engines produced at the Long Beach HQ using powder‑bed fusion and CNC machining. - **Additive Manufacturing Platform**: Proprietary 3D‑printing technology (Stargate printers) that enables rapid prototyping, reduced part count, and faster iteration cycles. ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed. - **Key Metric**: **$3B+** in pre‑sold launch contracts across more than a dozen customers, including blue‑chip companies and government entities [relativityspace.com](https://www.relativityspace.com/about). - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Eric Schmidt (former Google CEO) became chairman/leader in 2025, bringing technology and national‑security expertise. A diverse customer base includes telecommunications, government, and commercial satellite operators. - **Growth Signals**: - Headcount grown to **~2,000 employees** across 5 US locations (California, Mississippi, Florida, Washington D.C., Seattle) [relativityspace.com](https://www.relativityspace.com/about). - Headquarters in Long Beach is a **1‑million‑square‑foot** facility designed for high‑rate production [relativityspace.com](https://www.relativityspace.com/locations). - Expansion into interplanetary research labs and next‑generation manufacturing. ## Competitive Advantages - **Proven 3D‑printed rockets**: Relativity is the first company to fly a nearly entirely 3D‑printed rocket (Terran 1) and now applies that learning to the larger, reusable Terran R. - **“First‑principles thinking” + aerospace experience**: Rapid iteration, low‑cost prototyping, and additive manufacturing reduce design‑to‑flight timelines. - **New leadership under Eric Schmidt**: Brings deep technology and national‑security networks, accelerating scaling and government contracts. - **$3B+ backlog**: Strong revenue visibility and customer trust before full commercial operations. ## Strategic Focus - **Scale production** of Terran R at the Long Beach HQ to meet demand from commercial and government customers. - **Expand beyond launch** into interplanetary exploration, advanced manufacturing tools, and science‑enabling technologies. - **Increase launch cadence and reusability** to drive down per‑mission cost and open new market segments. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Values of **Audacity, Wonder, Humanity, and Relentlessness** – emphasising bold thinking, curiosity, and meaningful results [relativityspace.com/careers](https://www.relativityspace.com/careers). - **Work model**: In‑person collaboration – “best work happens side by side… solving problems together” – with teams co‑located at five US sites. - **Engineering focus**: Deep expertise in aerospace, propulsion, software, and manufacturing; hands‑on work with cutting‑edge hardware and iterative testing. - **Perks & growth**: Comprehensive benefits (details on careers page); opportunity to work on rockets, engines, and additive manufacturing at scale; direct impact on a fast‑moving company aiming to make space accessible. ## Sources 1. [Relativity Space About Page](https://www.relativityspace.com/about) 2. [Relativity Space Home Page](https://www.relativityspace.com/) 3. [Careers Page](https://www.relativityspace.com/careers) 4. [Locations Page](https://www.relativityspace.com/locations) ## Other roles at Relativity Space - [Staff Engineer - Launch Fluids Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-engineer-launch-fluids-engineering-relativity-space-long-beach-california-j8t1yday4qza) — Long Beach California, United States - [PBF Technical Specialist I](https://feeny.ai/job/pbf-technical-specialist-i-relativity-space-long-beach-california-d67aw1p74jjw) — Long Beach California, United States - [Senior EHS Program Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-ehs-program-manager-relativity-space-long-beach-california-zq0n57enkxd7) — Long Beach California, United States - [Staff Mechanisms Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-mechanisms-engineer-relativity-space-long-beach-california-xr32913swd8m) — Long Beach California, United States - [Senior Vehicle Structures Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-vehicle-structures-engineer-relativity-space-long-beach-california-npgsjj09frfs) — Long Beach California, United States - [Senior Mechanisms Systems Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanisms-systems-engineer-relativity-space-long-beach-california-3yyrqct8s5mp) — Long Beach California, United States - [Senior Mechanisms Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanisms-engineer-relativity-space-long-beach-california-xcmcvn97d4a5) — Long Beach California, United States - [Senior Mechanical Engineer (Mechanisms)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-engineer-mechanisms-relativity-space-long-beach-california-w9zcvkpdh8a5) — Long Beach California, United States - [Senior Electro-Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-electro-mechanical-engineer-relativity-space-long-beach-california-rsxchha000ma) — Long Beach California, United States - [Senior Avionics PCBA Development Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-avionics-pcba-development-engineer-relativity-space-long-beach-california-70brpnt8mh8a) — Long Beach California, United States