Relativity Space

SeniorOpticalCommunicationsEngineer

$160–214k Long Beach, California, United States
Market Sentiment
HIGH DEMAND

Neural analysis suggests this role is
optimal for Senior candidates.

The Brief

“Senior Optical Communications Engineer at Relativity Space. Skills: Optical communications, Systems engineering, Spacecraft systems. Own end-to-end architecture. Design deep-space optical communications terminal”

What You'll Achieve.

Enable next-generation interplanetary missions

What They're Looking For.

Must Have

Bachelor's or Master's degree, 5+ years of experience, Proven ability to take complex systems through qualification, Hands-on proficiency in electromechanical prototyping

Nice to Have

Experience with spaceflight hardware testing, Familiarity with NASA spacecraft systems, Experience with deep-space avionics systems

What You'll Do.

Own end-to-end architecture

Design deep-space optical communications terminal

Develop architectures

Translate mission needs

Lead hands-on development campaigns

Evaluate key technologies

Turn concepts into hardware

Deliver optical communications capability

How You'll Work.

Team & Collaboration

External partnerships; Internal teams; Program teams

Communication Scope

Synthesize technical details

Full Job Description

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 Interplanetary Sciences Program was established to expand access to scientific exploration across our solar system. Its mission is to make planetary research faster, more affordable, and more capable than ever before by rethinking how science missions are designed, built, and operated. The program aims to enable scientists to send instruments to distant worlds without decades of development or prohibitive costs. By creating a sustainable model for interplanetary exploration, we are transforming space science from an occasional event into a continuous process of discovery that accelerates knowledge, broadens participation, and inspires the next generation of explorers. About the Role: As a Senior Opti

Free ATS check

Applying for this Senior Optical Communications Engineer role?

Most applicants get filtered before a human reads their resume. See if yours makes the cut.

How to Apply on Greenhouse

  • Create a Greenhouse profile before applying — it saves time across multiple applications.
  • Upload your resume as a PDF; the parser handles it better than Word.
  • Answer all knockout questions carefully — wrong answers auto-reject before a human sees you.
  • Enable email notifications to track application status in real time.

ANONYMOUS · UNFILTERED

What do employees actually say about Relativity Space?

Real rants from real employees. Read before you apply.

Read Company Rants →