Senior Avionics Operations Engineer
How this pay compares
This posting states $148k–$222k a year. Open mission operations engineer jobs in California post a median of $152k a year, the middle half $122k–$162k, across 68 jobs that state their pay, so this one is above the middle half of what they post.
Mission and launch operations engineers in California: pay by town and employer
About the job
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 Avionics team is responsible for all aspects of the electrical design on the rocket, from electronics, interconnects, associated mechanical design, testing and initial production. This team's scope includes the flight computers, power systems, RF systems, PCB design, autonomous flight safety systems, and telemetry. This team works on complex electrical systems that require modularity and flexibility, and are critical to the successful launch of Terran R, and beyond!
About The Role
The Avionics Test & Operations team is responsible for testing avionics hardware and systems across the entire product lifecycle of Terran R: component-, subsystem-, and vehicle-level. As an Avionics Operations Engineer at Relativity Space, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and executing avionics testing strategies for our rocket systems. This includes working closely with the avionics design team to identify and troubleshoot any issues, and developing automation and testing infrastructure to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Responsible engineer for avionics RF/Ground Segment + Autonomous Flight Safety System integration, design validation, test, and operations
- Coordinate efforts to ensure the subsystems are ready for test and launch operations, to include system integration, system testing and verification
- Develop vehicle-level avionics CONOPs, go/no-go criteria, system automation, and operator manuals
- Coordinate with 3rd parties from Range Safety, NASA, and commercial ground station partners
- Support on-console test operations and data review for the avionics system during stage-level test and launch operations
About You
- Undergraduate or graduate degree (BS/MS/PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
- 5+ years experience with integrated systems test, such as flight test, hardware or software design validation, or development of hardware in the loop test platforms
- Understanding of engineering requirements capture and the verification/validation test planning process
- Experience testing, validating, and troubleshooting complex integrated electrical and software systems
- Experience with scripting languages such as Python or MATLAB for data acquisition/recording and analysis
Nice To Haves But Not Required
- Familiarity with regulatory requirements such as RCC319, RCC324, Part 450, and SSCMAN 91-710
- Familiarity with telemetry systems, RF theory, and telemetry standards such as IRIG 106
- Familiarity with common communication protocols such as Ethernet, CAN, UART, SPI, etc.
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.
Hiring Range:
$148,000 - $222,000 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.
From Relativity Space's job posting, checked 12 Nov 2026. Requirements, and whether the role is still open, are settled on the employer's own page.
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About Relativity Space
Builds reusable rockets that make access to space more reliable and routine.
Pay on its listings: 99.8% of its open jobs state their pay
How it pays: Paid as an employee on Relativity Space's own payroll (salaried or hourly, as each posting states).
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