Lead, Avionics Survivability Engineer

As the Lead Avionics Survivability Engineer, you will lead the survivability team responsible for ensuring Terran R's electrical and electronic systems can withstand the harsh environments of launch and spaceflight. Your team will oversee electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), radiation effects, and EEE (Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical) component reliability across the entire vehicle—from individual avionics components to vehicle-level system integration. You will drive analysis, test planning, qualification campaigns, and verification activities to ensure compliance with mission requirements and industry standards. This is a highly cross-functional role requiring coordination across avionics, propulsion, structures, GNC, flight software, and external stakeholders to establish survivability requirements, assess risks, and implement mitigation strategies. A strong candidate for this role will combine deep technical expertise in EMC, radiation effects, or physics with proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, manage complex test programs, and influence design decisions across the entire vehicle architecture.

About You:

Bachelor's degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field; advanced degree preferred

7+ years of experience in survivability engineering for harsh environments and mission-critical applications (including, but not limited to, launch vehicles, spacecraft, aircraft, or defense systems)

Technical background in at least two of the following domains: EMC/EMI, radiation effects (TID, SEE, displacement damage), or EEE component reliability and parts engineering

Working knowledge of the space environment and related effects including radiation belts, solar particle events, galactic cosmic rays, vacuum, thermal extremes, and electromagnetic environments

Experience leading cross-functional teams and coordinating technical efforts across multiple engineering disciplines and internal customers

Experience driving survivability requirements definition, risk assessments, and mitigation strategies from early design through qualification and flight

Experience with industry standards such as MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-464, NASA EEE-INST-002, ECSS standards, or equivalent

Experience planning and overseeing complex test programs including EMC testing, radiation testing, and component qualification

Strong communication skills with ability to influence design decisions and advocate for survivability considerations across the organization

Nice to haves but not required:

Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field with focus on electromagnetics, radiation physics, or materials science

Hands-on experience with EMC test facilities, radiation test facilities (proton/heavy ion accelerators), or environmental test chambers

Familiarity with electromagnetic simulation tools (CST, FEKO, HFSS)

Experience with parts selection, derating, and reliability prediction methodologies (FMECA, Reliability Block Diagrams, Physics of Failure)

Knowledge of single event effects (SEE) mitigation techniques including EDAC, triple modular redundancy, and radiation-hardened design

Experience with destructive physical analysis (DPA) and failure analysis of electronic components

Familiarity with launch vehicle or spacecraft-specific standards and requirements (SMC-S-016, SSCMAN 91-710, RCC319-19, NASA-STD-8739.10)

Experience establishing test facilities, laboratories, or qualification infrastructure

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.

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 accommodations@relativityspace.com.

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.