About the Team:

The Avionics team is responsible for the full lifecycle of Terran R's nervous system, designing, building, testing, installing, and operating the hardware that connects and controls every major electrical system on the vehicle and ground. The team leverages close partnership between avionics design, manufacturing, and test to enable rapid iteration and feedback loops. Engineers are deeply embedded into other functions within Relativity, working closely with propulsion, GNC, fluids, and stage engineering teams to ensure seamless integration and operation. Now is a unique time to join: you'll get to help shape Terran R's fundamental avionics architecture and be given a high degree of ownership on components that will fly.

About the Role:

As the Senior Avionics PCBA Development Engineer, you are part of the Avionics Engineering team and responsible for the entire bring-up of new avionics prototypes. You'll program machines, develop processes, conduct inspections, and troubleshoot defects hands-on, while maintaining process control documentation. A key differentiator: you'll partner with design engineers and manufacturing engineers, and support DFM initiatives while realizing the first prototype builds and using tools to harvest process data. You'll also bridge to the manufacturing team, supporting the handover of mature products and processes for mass production. You're both a technical craftsman and a technology integrator, combining hands-on manufacturing expertise with modern tools and automation while collaborating across engineering, design, and manufacturing teams. Responsibilities include:

• Provide DFM feedback: Review PCB designs for manufacturability and partner with hardware engineers to resolve assembly issues before builds begin
• Operate the full SMT line: Support the operation of every station on the line for Avionics prototype builds to ensure quality and process control.
• Inspect and troubleshoot: Perform first-article inspections (visual, AOI, X-ray), investigate defects such as bridging, tombstoning, and voiding, and drive corrective actions to root cause
• Program and optimize equipment: Develop programs and tune parameters, placement routines, and reflow profiles for high-reliability aerospace PCBAs
• Build and rework hardware: Support prototype and qualification builds hands-on, and perform professional-grade soldering and PCBA rework, including component replacement, BGA rework, and fine-pitch repairs
• Maintain process control documentation: Work with the team to keep work instructions, assembly drawings, inspection criteria, and process specifications current
• Develop automation tools: Build and enhance tools for machine-programming automation, data-collection pipelines, and analysis workflows that improve efficiency and reduce manual effort

About You:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent hands-on experience)
• 5-8 years of hands-on PCBA assembly experience in a manufacturing environment
• Proficiency with SMT equipment including solder paste printers, pick-and-place, and reflow ovens.
• Professional-grade soldering and rework skills, including component replacement, fine-pitch soldering, and BGA rework
• Strong understanding of SMT processes, common defects, and troubleshooting, including inspection methods such as visual, AOI (Automated Optical Inspection), and X-ray
• Detail-oriented, with the ability to read PCB assembly drawings, schematics, and datasheets, and comfortable building automation tools or scripts to improve data collection and analysis

Nice to haves but not required:

• IPC-A-610 (CIS) or IPC-J-STD-001 soldering certification (highly preferred)
• Experience with low-to-mid-volume or prototype PCBA manufacturing and familiarity with aerospace/defense quality requirements (AS9100, IPC Class 3)
• Programming and scripting skills (Python, JavaScript, SQL) for tool development and data analysis, including experience integrating manufacturing equipment with data systems (MES, Jira APIs, databases) and applying AI/ML or agentic workflows in manufacturing
• Familiarity with specialized processes and handling standards-selective soldering, conformal coating, potting, ESD control, moisture-sensitivity handling, and component traceability-as well-as ECAD tools such as Altium and Valor NPI

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