Lead, Tooling Mechanical 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 Stage Manufacturing team turns design into reality, owning the build of Terran R’s primary structures. This isn’t about turning the same bolt every day; it’s about building the systems to build the rocket. Engineers and technicians work side by side, with deep collaboration and real-time feedback, to shape how we build better and faster. With a manifest and a launch date, it’s up to the team to deliver on Terran R: solving challenges in real time, optimizing for scale, and constantly improving processes. As the vehicle evolves, so will the factory, with opportunities to apply automation, machine learning, and advanced technologies. What we build here sets the blueprint for the future of scaled launch.

About the Role:

As the Lead Tooling Engineer, you will be responsible for developing and managing tooling solutions for the Terran vehicle program. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure tooling meets safety, quality, cost, and schedule requirements. This position requires strong technical expertise in mechanical design and analysis, as well as project management skills to oversee the development and commissioning of tooling.

• Lead the development and implementation of high-quality tooling for production and development programs

• Collaborate with work center owners and cross-functional teams to plan tooling strategies

• Ensure adherence to project schedules and provide updates to stakeholders

• Design tooling solutions in accordance with ASME Y14.5 standards

• Solve technical challenges related to material handling, assembly fixtures, test fixtures, and custom machinery

• Manage the full lifecycle of tooling projects, including vendor selection, fabrication, inspection, and commissioning

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field

• 5+ years of experience in designing, building, and commissioning tooling and fixtures for manufacturing, assembly, and testing

• Proficiency in CAD and FEA-based analysis software (preferably NX and ANSYS Workbench)

• Knowledge of common manufacturing materials, GD&T, and tolerance/stack-up analysis

• Familiarity with manufacturing processes and machines (e.g., mills, lathes, welding, sheet-metal bending)

• Experience with Siemens NX, Teamcenter PLM software, and FEA tools such as ANSYS Workbench, NASTRAN Solver, and NX Advanced Simulation

Nice to haves but not required:

• Strong understanding of safety, cost, quality, and delivery metrics

• Experience leading a team

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:
$128,000—$176,000 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].