--- title: 'Materials Characterization Specialist II, SEM at Relativity Space' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/materials-characterization-specialist-ii-sem-relativity-space-long-beach-zc349td9bay0' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-11-10' --- # Materials Characterization Specialist II, SEM at Relativity Space - **Company:** Relativity Space - **Location:** Long Beach, CA - **Compensation:** $38–$58/hr - **Posted:** 2026-11-09 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-10 - **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/relativity/jobs/8934046002?gh_jid=8934046002 ## 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: 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, the team gains broad exposure and drives key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations. About the Role: - Conduct SEM imaging and EDX analysis of additively manufactured metallics, metal joining, and other rocket manufacturing and launch hardware - Conduct SEM fractography of mechanical test specimens; FOD and contamination analysis - Work side by side with engineers at the SEM, guiding the session to what they need - Conduct SEM powder morphology for additive powder qualification; SEM sample prep - Manage SEM requests against commit dates - Document results; routine calibration checks and first-line troubleshooting About You: - AS/AA/BS in a STEM field - 4+ years hands-on SEM and EDX/EDS; SEM as the primary focus - Comfortable running the SEM with an engineer beside you and explaining what you see - Experience maintaining a high-vacuum instrument - Thorough documentation of images, parameters, and conditions Nice to haves, but not required: - Experience running EBSD scans and processing EBSD data - Prior fractography and FOD analysis experience; familiarity with aerospace alloys — high-strength aluminum, nickel, copper, titanium - Experience with metallographic preparation — cut, mount, polish, etch, optical microscopy - Additive manufacturing and metal joining exposure — powder bed fusion, welding, powder characterization 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: $38.40—$57.60 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 - [Senior Turbomachinery Engineer, Turbine Development](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-turbomachinery-engineer-turbine-development-relativity-space-long-beach-zhngxdav7srg) — Long Beach, CA - [Launch Mechanical Engineer II - Launch Structures](https://feeny.ai/job/launch-mechanical-engineer-ii-launch-structures-relativity-space-cape-canaveral-sesas8sb0bs2) — Cape Canaveral, FL - [Staff Launch Mechanical Engineer - Launch Structures](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-launch-mechanical-engineer-launch-structures-relativity-space-cape-vrs9ef5jtnvw) — Cape Canaveral, FL - [Vehicle Structures Engineer I (Heat Shield)](https://feeny.ai/job/vehicle-structures-engineer-i-heat-shield-relativity-space-long-beach-bxp9y97zprpr) — Long Beach, CA - [EHS Specialist II - Environmental Compliance](https://feeny.ai/job/ehs-specialist-ii-environmental-compliance-relativity-space-cape-canaveral-cfv9fpsmcmpn) — Cape Canaveral, FL - [Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanisms](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-manufacturing-engineer-mechanisms-relativity-space-long-beach-peez8qprsf7m) — Long Beach, CA - [Propulsion Integration & Test Engineer I, First shift](https://feeny.ai/job/propulsion-integration-test-engineer-i-first-shift-relativity-space-long-beach-gehg2xscmjmg) — Long Beach, CA - [Relativity Space Hiring Event | Long Beach | Nov. 19th](https://feeny.ai/job/relativity-space-hiring-event-long-beach-nov-19th-relativity-space-long-beach-c70nnj6nhjr1) — Long Beach, CA - [Staff Technical Product Manager, Configuration Management](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-technical-product-manager-configuration-management-relativity-space-long-mdq7mma70dgw) — Long Beach, CA - [Valves Components Engineer II](https://feeny.ai/job/valves-components-engineer-ii-relativity-space-long-beach-zna3qb458pg9) — Long Beach, CA