Senior Propulsion Structural Analysis Engineer, Integrated Design
How this pay compares
This posting states $132k–$198k a year. Open mechanical engineer jobs in California post a median of $158k a year, the middle half $130k–$180k, across 266 jobs that state their pay, so this one is within the middle half of what they post.
Mechanical 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 Propulsion team at Relativity is focused on developing and delivering highly performant and manufacturable engines for Terran R.
Engineers are responsible for the entire lifecycle of their parts, from initial design through production to qualification and flight. The team fosters a culture of bottoms-up decision-making, free from technical gatekeeping, where ownership and accountability are key at all levels. But designing engines with a quarter million pounds of thrust is just the beginning.
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 - Responsible for the thermal, structural, dynamic, and durability (fatigue/fracture) analyses on Aeon-R engines and subsystems, to guide design decisions and ensure reliability and performance requirements are met - Responsible for the analysis of 3D-printed engine components, complex mechanical assemblies, and/or the structural integrity of the fully integrated engine assembly - Work hand-in-hand with mechanical designers and manufacturing engineers to arrive at optimal solutions for the engine and vehicle programs - Develop and execute tests to support development and qualification, including hands-on work like test article integration, instrumentation setup, and data processing ## About You - Bachelor's degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field - 5+ years of relevant Industry experience, preferably with complex engineering systems - Experience with Finite Element Analysis - Experience with computer aided design (CAD) software - Detail-oriented, organized, and able to follow through - Strong drive to deliver on ambitious schedules ## Nice to haves, but not required - Experience with design of liquid propulsion components and systems - Experience with Siemens NX, Teamcenter, and ANSYS workbench - Familiarity with industry best practices - Familiarity with aerospace standards 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 $132,000 - $198,000 USD
From Relativity Space's job posting, checked 7 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.
Selected agencies hiring now
Chipton-RossEngineering and technical staffing agency
Aerospace and defense engineering staffing firm with offices in El Segundo, Long Beach and Playa Del Rey, California, Charleston, Pascagoula and Newport News, placing engineers, designers and technicians on contract and direct hire.
Places: Mechanical, Avionics, Systems & Test, Technicians
NESC Staffing (Nesco Resource)Engineering and technical staffing agency
Engineering and technical staffing firm placing engineers, designers, technicians and manufacturing staff on contract and direct hire.
Places: Mechanical, Avionics, Systems & Test, Technicians
These agencies and apps pay SpaceJobs.Now a referral fee when someone we introduce is placed or signs up. It costs you nothing and never changes your pay. Employers' own jobs below keep their own order.
Sponsored jobs from job networks, which pay SpaceJobs.Now when you click one.
Free tools for this application: check your resume against this job, answer the application's questions or see every free tool.
New mechanical, structures and thermal engineering jobs in space in California, by email
One email a week with the newest ones, straight from the employers' own careers sites, with the pay each posting states. Free, stop anytime.
About Relativity Space
Builds reusable rockets that make access to space more reliable and routine.
Pay on its listings: 99.7% of its open jobs state an hourly rate
How it pays: Paid as an employee on Relativity Space's own payroll (salaried or hourly, as each posting states).
More open jobs at Relativity Space
- Vehicle Structures Engineer I (Heat Shield)$90,000–$136,000/yr
- EHS Specialist II - Environmental Compliance$74,000–$112,000/yr
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanisms$122,000–$182,000/yr
- Propulsion Integration & Test Engineer I, First shift$93,000–$139,000/yr
- Relativity Space Hiring Event | Long Beach | Nov. 19th
- Staff Technical Product Manager, Configuration Management$175,000–$263,000/yr
More mechanical, structures and thermal engineering jobs in space
- Loads & Dynamics Engineer (Starshield)$100,000–$160,000/yr
- Spacecraft Dynamics Engineer$136,000–$220,000/yr
- Senior Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer$150,000–$200,000/yr
- Senior Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer - Composites and Structures$175,000–$215,000/yr
- Vehicle Structures Engineer I (Heat Shield)$90,000–$136,000/yr
- Strength Analyst 3$99,604–$166,007/yr
A mechanical, structures or thermal engineer?
One profile for every employer here. Space companies and their recruiters ask us for people with a specific degree, clearance, specialty or location: add yours once, and when a job fits, we introduce you, only with your yes. Free.
Relativity Space openings, sent to you weekly
Each week we send the newest postings from Relativity Space's own careers site, along with similar openings at other space employers. It costs nothing and you can stop anytime.