Lead Hardware Engineer (Controllers)

About the Team: 

The Avionics team is responsible for the full lifecycle of Terran R's nervous system, designing, building, testing, installing, and operating the hardware that connects and controls every major electrical system on the vehicle and ground. The team leverages close partnership between avionics design, manufacturing, and test to enable rapid iteration and feedback loops. Engineers are deeply embedded into other functions within Relativity, working closely with propulsion, GNC, fluids, and stage engineering teams to ensure seamless integration and operation. Now is a unique time to join: you'll get to help shape Terran R's fundamental avionics architecture and be given a high degree of ownership on components that will fly.

About the Role:

As the Lead Avionics Controllers Hardware Engineer, you will lead a small, nimble team of electrical engineers designing custom avionics controllers that interface with critical systems across the Terran R launch vehicle. Your team's controllers will command and control rocket engines, manage fluid and tank pressurization systems, interface with customer payloads, and operate separation mechanisms. You will guide your team through the full product lifecycle including initial design, board bring-up, design verification, qualification, initial flight production, integration, and vehicle operations. You will work closely with cross-functional partner teams across propulsion, fluids, stage engineering, and GNC to ensure your controllers meet the demanding requirements of the overall vehicle. A strong candidate for this role will combine deep technical expertise in mixed-signal and analog circuit design with proven ability to mentor engineers, lead root cause investigations, and foster a culture of collaboration and high performance in a fast-paced environment.

About You:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in electronics design for harsh environments and mission-critical applications (including, but not limited to, launch vehicles, spacecraft, aircraft, or robotics)
• Strong technical background in mixed-signal and analog circuit design, including sensor signal conditioning, instrumentation amplifiers, ADCs, DACs, and filter design
• Experience designing control electronics for actuating loads such as solenoid valves, brushless DC motors, pyrotechnic firing circuits, and similar high-reliability mechanisms
• Experience with sensor interfacing across diverse types including pressure transducers, thermocouples, RTDs, strain gauges, flow meters, and position sensors
• Demonstrated experience leading root cause investigations using RCCA (Root Cause Corrective Action) processes and methodologies such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, and fault tree analysis
• Experience mentoring and leading small teams of engineers in technical and non-technical best practices
• Experience driving rigorous engineering processes and initiatives (requirements capture, design reviews, design verification, FMEA, etc.)
• Experience working with highly cross-functional teams (mechanical, thermal, electrical, software, fluids, propulsion) to develop integrated controller solutions

Nice to haves but not required:  

• Familiarity with embedded software development and integration for real-time control systems
• Experience with design for reliability and manufacturability of avionics hardware including DFMEA, accelerated life testing, and qualification testing
• Technical expertise in power electronics including motor drives and control, high-current switching circuits, DC-DC converters, and protection circuitry
• Experience with communication protocols and interfaces (CAN, RS-422/485, SPI, I2C, Ethernet) for distributed control systems
• Hands-on experience with environmental testing (vibration, shock, thermal cycling, EMC) and test fixture design
• Knowledge of safety-critical design practices and standards (e.g., DO-254, MIL-STD-1553, IPC-A-610)