Company Overview:

Relativity is the first and only company to automate aerospace manufacturing by integrating intelligent robotics, software, and proprietary metal 3D printing technology. Disrupting 60 years of aerospace, Relativity offers a radically simplified supply chain, building a rocket with 100x fewer parts in less than 60 days. Our long-term goal is to upgrade humanity’s industrial base on Earth and on Mars.  

Team:

The Vehicle Engineering department is responsible for ensuring that Relativity’s rockets will achieve our objectives. Our department comprises teams responsible for Flight Sciences, including Aerodynamics, Thermal Science, Loads, and Dynamics; Vehicle Simulation & Performance; Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC); and Systems Engineering. Our teams architect and execute analysis, simulation, and test projects for all of Relativity’s hardware and software teams in pursuit of mission success.

What you’ll do:

As an Aerodynamics Engineer, you will help drive the technical direction of Relativity’s products across the domains of Aerodynamics and Aerothermodynamics, focusing on external flow analysis using CFD, panel methods, and hand calculations as well as wind tunnel & flight testing. You will play a key role in shaping Relativity’s vehicle products and advanced technical analyses, including Terran R vehicle re-entry, re-usability, and supporting simulation tools and methods. In short, you’ll determine how Relativity’s vehicles look and fly, leveraging a high degree of technical authority.

You will collaborate with our design, propulsion, GNC, and dynamics teams to deliver aerodynamics design, test, and analysis projects on time, while meeting our technical requirements. A high degree of autonomy along with an ability to prioritize work in our fast-paced environment is required. Additionally, you will help build an outstanding vehicle engineering organization at the cutting edge of commercial aerospace.

Here are some examples of projects you could be working on:

• Develop and execute CFD analyses to solve novel challenges in vehicle re-entry stability and control
• Scope and develop aerodynamics databases for ascent and re-entry, including uncertainty quantification
• Drive the design of major Terran 1 and Terran R system elements – like fins, flaps, and primary structure - to meet criteria for control, stability, heating, and pressure
• Mature Relativity’s tools for developing and communicating aerodynamics data, including custom and commercial code, databases, and signal processing tools
• Collaborate with responsible hardware engineers to ensure hardware meets aerodynamics requirements

In order to be successful in this role, you should be self-motivated, adaptable and able to contribute significantly to a fast-paced, integrated vehicle program. You should also be able to resolve ambiguity and drive projects to completion. Ideally, you have a command of the fundamentals of compressible flow, CFD, and High-Performance Computing (HPC) as well as a proven track record completing projects successfully in a highly collaborative environment.

On a weekly basis, you will be performing analysis, developing software tools, and supporting design teams. You will also use your strong organizational skills to properly manage the documentation and communication of your actions, recommendations, and decisions.

What you need to know:

• A graduate degree in engineering or a related field and 2+ years of relevant experience
• Expertise in compressible flow and CFD, preferably on entry vehicles
• Experience executing CFD to solve complex flow problems
• Proficiency in Python and exposure to industry-standard CFD tools like FUN3D or Star-CCM+, including use of HPC clusters

Nice to haves but not required:

• 5+ years relevant experience across at least one full program lifecycle
• Experience developing simulation toolsets and workflows, e.g. for HPC

Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, a generous vacation policy, an annual L&D stipend and more! 

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.