Relativity Space
Senior Optical Communications Engineer
$160K–$214K
Long Beach, California +1 · Senior · Full-time · Posted Jun 2, 2026
- Location
- Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California, United States - Experience
- 5+ years in one of the stated fields.
- Education
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a stated technical field.
About the job
Own the architecture, development, and delivery of a deep-space optical communications terminal for interplanetary missions.
What you'll do
- Translate mission needs into system performance requirements and develop terminal architectures.
- Lead hands-on prototyping and testing to evaluate technologies, reduce interface risks, and validate performance.
- Drive implementation through in-house design or external partnerships through integration and flight-ready delivery.
What they ask for
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 5+ years of experience in laser communications, optical systems engineering, or spacecraft communications system development.
- Ability to take complex technical systems from concept through qualification, integration, and operational deployment.
- Hands-on electromechanical prototyping and deep understanding of optical communications subsystems, including PAT, modems, and photonic hardware.
Nice to have
- Experience with spaceflight hardware environmental testing and qualification.
- Familiarity with NASA or commercial spacecraft systems engineering processes, or experience with deep-space or high-radiation avionics systems.
Pay
$160,000 — $214,000 USD (base salary)
Tools
PAT, modems, photonic hardware, gimbals, pointing mechanisms, precision mounts
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative