Senior Factory Test Operations Engineer

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 Senior Factory Test Operations Engineer plans, executes, and documents complex test operations while supporting the safe and reliable performance of test systems. Responsibilities include:

• Develop operational plans in collaboration with Vehicle Responsible Engineers and cross-functional engineering teams.

• Develop test plans, procedures, automation, and work instructions to support safe and repeatable test operations.

• Collaborate with design engineering teams to identify and mitigate risks related to safety, efficiency, reliability, accessibility, and operability.

• Lead Test Readiness Reviews to assess operational preparedness and confirm readiness for testing.

• Execute test operations using manual and computer-controlled systems, applying engineering principles and system knowledge to evaluate unexpected conditions and maintain safe operations.

• Support post-test data processing, operational retrospectives, continuous improvement, test stand design feedback, and the development of team training and certification programs.

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, or a related technical field.

• 5+ years of experience operating complex equipment, planning complex operations, or performing comparable technical work.

• Demonstrated ability to identify, assess, and mitigate safety risks associated with equipment or test operations.

• Experience applying engineering fundamentals to troubleshoot electrical and fluid systems and evaluate operational issues.

• Ability to make sound, safety-focused decisions when information is incomplete and operational conditions change.

• Strong attention to detail, professional communication skills, and ability to support a shifted work schedule as required by test operations.

Nice to haves but not required:

• Demonstrated ability to take on additional leadership responsibilities as team needs evolve.

• Experience supporting aerospace testing activities.

• Familiarity with cryogenic systems.

• Experience presenting technical information and facilitating meetings.

• Relevant certifications for rigging and lifting equipment.

• Ability to work at heights and in confined spaces, where required by job responsibilities and applicable safety procedures.

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: $124,000—$186,000 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 [email protected].

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.