Relativity Space internship: what to expect in 2026

Relativity Space internships put you inside one of the most technically ambitious rocket companies in the world. Based in Long Beach, California, the company is building Terran R — a fully reusable, 3D-printed medium-lift launch vehicle targeting first flight in H2 2026. Their defining technology is Stargate, the world's largest metal 3D printer, which fabricates rocket structures that traditionally require hundreds of separately manufactured and assembled parts.

This guide covers everything you need to know about interning at Relativity: compensation, what teams you can join, the application process, and how it compares to internships at other NewSpace companies.

Internship compensation and logistics

Detail	Info
Hourly pay	$31–$38, depending on degree level and discipline
Duration	12 weeks (summer); some positions extend to fall
Location	Long Beach, CA (HQ and factory — 1.1M sq ft)
Housing	Stipend provided for out-of-area interns
Relocation	Travel reimbursement for relocation to Long Beach
Eligibility	Currently enrolled undergrad or graduate students
Citizenship	US persons only (ITAR requirement)

The pay scale generally follows:

• Undergrad (junior/senior): $31–$34/hr
• Master's student: $34–$36/hr
• PhD candidate: $36–$38/hr

What's included beyond pay

Relativity's intern program includes several perks beyond the hourly rate:

• Housing stipend for interns relocating from outside the LA area
• Access to company events and speaker series
• Mentorship pairing with a full-time engineer
• End-of-program presentation to leadership
• Social events and intern cohort activities
• Access to the factory floor (you can watch your designs get printed)

Engineering intern teams

Relativity assigns interns to active engineering teams working on real Terran R hardware. This isn't a simulated project or side assignment — you're contributing to the flight vehicle.

Propulsion

Focus	Skills Used
Aeon R engine development	Combustion analysis, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics
Hot fire test operations	Data acquisition, test procedures, anomaly resolution
Injector design and analysis	CFD, spray dynamics, chamber heat transfer
Turbopump development	Rotordynamics, bearing design, high-speed testing

Propulsion interns typically work at both the Long Beach headquarters and may travel to Relativity's test facility at NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi for engine testing campaigns.

Additive manufacturing

Focus	Skills Used
Stargate printer operations	Process monitoring, parameter optimization
Print parameter development	Metallurgy, materials science, heat treatment
Quality inspection	CT scanning, dimensional measurement, NDT
Process automation	Controls engineering, sensor integration

This is Relativity's differentiator. If your coursework includes additive manufacturing, metallurgy, or advanced materials processing, this team offers experience that doesn't exist anywhere else in aerospace. Stargate prints rocket structures using directed energy deposition with proprietary alloys — the process, materials, and scale are genuinely novel.

Structures

Focus	Skills Used
Tank and interstage design	FEA (ANSYS, Abaqus), composite analysis
Load analysis	Structural dynamics, coupled loads
Fairings	Composite layup, aerodynamic loads
Qualification testing	Static test, proof test, burst test

Avionics and electronics

Focus	Skills Used
Flight computer design	PCB layout, embedded processors, thermal management
Sensor integration	Accelerometers, pressure transducers, thermocouples
Power systems	Battery management, power distribution
Harness design	Cable routing, connector selection, EMI shielding

Software

Focus	Skills Used
Flight software	C++, real-time systems, state machines
Factory automation	Python, computer vision, robotic control
Ground software	React, Python, telemetry visualization
Simulation	Monte Carlo trajectory sims, 6-DOF models
Data infrastructure	Data pipelines, ML for manufacturing quality

GN&C (Guidance, Navigation & Control)

Focus	Skills Used
Trajectory optimization	Convex optimization, direct collocation
Control algorithms	PID, LQR, adaptive control for landing
Navigation filters	Kalman filtering, GPS/INS integration
Simulation development	6-DOF sims, Monte Carlo analysis

The application process

Timeline

• September–November: Summer internship postings go live
• November–January: Peak interviewing period
• December–February: Offers extended
• May–August: Summer internship program runs

For the best selection of teams, apply within the first 2-3 weeks after postings appear. Competitive candidates often have offers before January.

Application steps

1. Online application — Submit resume, transcript, and cover letter through Relativity's careers page
2. Recruiter screen — 20-minute phone call covering your background, interests, and timeline
3. Technical interview — 45-60 minutes with engineers from the hiring team; discipline-specific technical questions
4. Team match call — Some candidates get a follow-up with the specific team lead to discuss project scope
5. Offer — Typically 1-2 weeks after final interview

What stands out in applications

Based on common patterns in successful Relativity intern candidates:

• Hands-on project experience — Rocket clubs (SEDS, university rocketry teams), SAE/FSAE, personal fabrication projects
• Relevant coursework — Propulsion, structures, controls, or materials science at the graduate level
• Technical depth in one area — Relativity prefers interns who go deep in a specialty rather than being generalists
• Manufacturing interest — If you can speak knowledgeably about 3D printing processes, materials, or CNC machining, that's distinctive
• SpaceX/Blue Origin/Rocket Lab rejections — Many Relativity interns applied to multiple rocket companies; don't be discouraged by other outcomes

Conversion to full-time

Relativity has a strong intern-to-full-time pipeline. While exact conversion rates aren't published, the company extends return offers to high-performing interns. The decision is typically made in the final two weeks of the internship based on:

• Project deliverables and quality of work
• Technical aptitude and learning velocity
• Team fit and collaboration
• Manager recommendation

If you receive a return offer, it typically comes with a competitive signing bonus and the same start date flexibility as external new-grad offers.

Comparison with other NewSpace internships

Company	Pay	Location	Size	Culture
Relativity Space	$31–$38/hr	Long Beach, CA	~1,200	Startup energy, 3D printing focus
SpaceX	$30–$38/hr	Hawthorne / McGregor / Starbase	~13,000	Intense, launch cadence pressure
Rocket Lab	$25–$35/hr	Long Beach, CA	~2,000	Mid-size, vertical integration
Blue Origin	$28–$40/hr	Kent WA / Huntsville AL	~11,000	Well-resourced, more structured
Firefly Aerospace	$25–$32/hr	Cedar Park, TX	~700	Small team, broad responsibility
Stoke Space	$30–$36/hr	Kent, WA	~300	Early-stage, reusability focus

Key differentiator

At Relativity's scale (~1,200 people), interns interact directly with senior engineers and leadership. The factory floor is in the same building as the engineering offices. You can watch Stargate print the rocket structure you helped design. This proximity between design and manufacturing is Relativity's cultural signature and what makes the internship experience distinct from larger companies where interns may never see the hardware their work supports.

Browse Relativity Space positions on Zero G Talent, or see our Relativity Space internships guide and Rocket Lab internship comparison.