Senior NDE Inspector, CWI, First Shift

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 Materials and NDE (Non-Destructive Evaluation) team plays a central role in enabling Terran R to fly, re-fly, and scale: developing, characterizing, and inspecting materials and processes across all parts of the vehicle. From welding and additive manufacturing to advanced composites, the team works at the intersection of innovation and execution, balancing performance and reliability with cost, quality, and schedule. As we move toward first flight and beyond, the challenges become more exciting, offering opportunities to shape how we design and develop for re-use. With ownership across products, systems, and disciplines, engineers gain broad exposure and drive key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations.

About the Role:

The Welding Inspector is responsible for performing detailed inspections, interpreting technical requirements, and ensuring that all welding activities and fabricated structures comply with applicable codes, standards, and engineering documentation. This role supports production, engineering, and quality teams by providing expert evaluation, guidance, and documentation throughout all phases of fabrication and welding processes.

Your core responsibilities will be: 

• Perform internal and external inspections to verify that weldments and structures meet the acceptance criteria of applicable codes, standards, and project documents
• Read, interpret, and apply code requirements, specifications, and engineering drawings accurately and effectively
• Use computer systems to record inspection data, document acceptance or rejection, and communicate findings
• Conduct visual inspections of in-process and completed welds, verify welding repairs follow the applicable requirements
• Develop welding procedures for specific code requirements
• Oversee the testing for welding certification
• Monitor welding processes—including GTAW, GMAW, FCAW, to confirm compliance with qualified welding procedures
• Verify and document welder qualifications in accordance with company and code requirements
• Confirm that base materials comply with applicable specifications
• Evaluate joint design, joint preparation, fit-up, cleanliness, and environmental conditions prior to welding
• Verify that preheat and interpass temperatures are maintained as per the procedure
• Ensure proper control, storage, and handling of welding consumables
• Verify quality of interpass and final cleaning weldments
• Ensure product conformance to drawings, specifications, and contractual requirements
• Confirm weld surface cleanliness and visual acceptance criteria
• Validate proper performance and documentation of post-weld heat treatments
• Ensure that all fabrication and inspection activities are properly documented
• Interpret and review engineering drawings as required for inspection tasks
• Evaluate findings, prepare inspection reports, and communicate results to production and engineering teams
• Conduct vendor surveillance audits related to welding, fabrication, and inspection activities as needed

About You:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Current American Welding Society (AWS) Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) certification

Nice to haves but not required:  

• Additional Level II Nondestructive Evaluation certifications in accordance with ASNT TC-1A, NAS-410, requirements in one or more of the following methods: Radiography (RT), Dye Penetrant (PT), Ultrasonic (UT), Eddy Current (ET), or Magnetic Particle (MT)
• 3+ years of experience as an AWS-certified Welding Inspector
• Strong knowledge of industry standards such as AWS and ASME
• Working knowledge of both surface and subsurface NDE methods

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:

$35.20—$52.80 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.

If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at accommodations@relativityspace.com.

Please note: Relativity Space does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or referrals from recruitment agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited submission - via email, our website, social media, or directly to an employee - will be deemed the property of Relativity Space, and no fee will be owed absent a current, fully executed agreement with Talent Acquisition that specifically authorizes submissions for the applicable role.