Robotics Engineer II

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 additive technology team leads research and development of Relativity’s Stargate 3D-printing platform and factory operating system to produce large-scale metal structures for the industrial base. The team works with robotics engineers, data scientists, systems engineers, and welders to advance Relativity’s innovative tech stack, which leverages autonomy, advanced simulation, and robotics. The Robotics Software Engineering Team is building out a novel type of cooperative robotic platform that utilizes our large-scale additive manufacturing systems. This platform will pave the way for the continuous invention of new capabilities. We prioritize performance, simplicity, simulation/testing, and reusability, building cohesive interfaces with every piece of equipment we use. Our team provides a system with which custom robots and additive systems can be built and integrated seamlessly.

About the Role:

As a Robotics Engineer II, you will contribute to the development, integration, and optimization of automation systems for our cooperative robotics platform. You will focus on designing and implementing robotic control software, programming PLCs, and developing real-time systems to enhance operational efficiency and precision. Your expertise will drive the advancement of our automation capabilities, creating solutions for industrial automation.

About You:

• Education: BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field, or be self-taught with years of hands-on experience.
• Strong experience in designing, implementing, and optimizing control systems for robotic applications. 
• Working knowledge of C++, ROS, real-time operating systems (RTOS), and principles of real-time computing for deterministic control.
• Capability to troubleshoot and resolve complex issues in automation systems, ensuring reliability and performance.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills for achieving project goals across teams and disciplines.
• Willingness to learn new skills and applications.

Nice to haves but not required: 

• Familiarity with protocols such as EtherCAT, CANbus, Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, and safety protocols (FSoE, profiSAFE) used in industrial automation. 
• Experience with programming and integrating industrial robots used for material handling and logistics. 
• Experience with programming and configuring Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) for industrial automation. 
• Experience with advanced motion control techniques, such as trajectory planning, servo control, and kinematics. 
• Knowledge of computer vision techniques for enhancing automation capabilities, including object detection and tracking. 
• Passion for staying updated with the latest advancements in automation and robotics technologies. Willingness to explore and experiment with new tools and methodologies to enhance system capabilities.

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:

$132,000—$171,000 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.