Senior Technical Program Manager, Propulsion Engineering

Company Overview:  

At Relativity Space, we have two audacious goals: to build the next great commercial launch company with Terran R and to become America's leading force in additive manufacturing innovation. Both contribute to our long-term vision of creating humanity’s industrial base on Mars, paving the way for interplanetary life to expand the possibilities of the human experience. This journey begins right here on Earth – where we design, build, and fly rockets to deliver customer payloads to orbit. Terran R, our medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket, fulfills the growing demand for launch capacity, thanks to our iterative approach that accelerates design, testing, and development while minimizing costs. While our groundbreaking research and development in 3D printing pushes the boundaries of large-scale additive manufacturing.

Your journey with us is more than just a job – it’s an opportunity to shape the future of aerospace technology, additive manufacturing, and the human experience alongside a community of passionate, creative individuals. Join us on this extraordinary journey, as we work together to transform our vision into reality.

Team:  

The Propulsion Engineering team is responsible for engines that will power the Terran R launch vehicle.  We own the design from concept through successful launch and reuse and we work with our partner teams to manufacture and test those engines.  Our design philosophy leverages learning from test and rapid iteration so we can quickly arrive at the best engine for the vehicle program. We will also support engine integration onto the launch vehicle and stage and vehicle level test and launch campaigns.  The design of the engine is tightly coupled to the rest of the vehicle, so we collaborate closely with all other vehicle design functions. Therefore, a dynamic program manager is needed to enable our technical teams to translate strategy into execution. We are hiring a Senior Technical Program Manager to help manage our work streams as we design, manufacture, and test the Aeon R engines for the Terran R launch vehicle. Successful candidates in this role will be asked to analyze and drive recommendations for decisions that balance the needs of the technical teams as well as the business overall. Where there are multiple paths to choose, this individual will help align the team on a common pursuit. Where there are points of impasse, this individual will build a bridge. High judgment, strong leadership, low ego, and strategic influence are foundational elements for this role. 

What you’ll do: 

• Timeline/Schedule: Analyze requirements, resources, and dependencies, to create and rally the team around a reliable timeline and schedule.
• Progress Tracking & Reporting: Monitor and report on the progress towards organizational goals, objectives, and milestones. Facilitate strong communication within the team and ensure transparent communication of program status to relevant stakeholders.
• Dependency Mapping: Work with cross-functional teams to determine and evangelize dependencies that are critical to program deliverables. 
• Programmatic Risk Management: Identify risks to the program across all variables (time, requirements, resources, dependencies, etc.) and serve as the primary interface between propulsion engineering and our program risk management process.
• Planning: Use data to drive and participate in planning exercises, not only in service to timeline/schedule building, but also to ensure the propulsion team has the right resource plan to enable our aggressive goals. Enable the effective planning and management of time as a resource by assisting technical leaders in estimating effort and scoping headcount requirements.
• Resource Management: Identify resource gaps and orchestrate cross-functional planning for resource allocation, including headcount, budget allocation, and workspace needs. Ensure efficient utilization of resources to support program and departmental objectives.

What you need to know:  

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of experience in a program management role on a complex technical project
• Experience managing programs across matrix organizations, building sustainable processes, and coordinating design releases and key engineering trades
• Proven ability to lead by influence and collaborate with technical owners to establish a plan without crowding out their ownership
• Proven ability to solve complex technical problems and design robust, scalable solutions
• Strong executive presence, including ability to drive clarity and action across all levels within the company
• Robust communication skills across numerous stakeholders and t