Director, Design & Construction

Director, Design & Construction

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 Construction Design and Delivery team is at the core of Relativity's growth and development. Through our collaboration and expertise, we deliver projects that lay the foundation for Relativity's future success. In essence, we build the factory that builds the rockets! We are responsible for cross functional relationships with teams such as Manufacturing, Propulsion, PBF, Avionics, Machine Shop, Facilities, EHS and Security to name a few, working through design specifications and execution of critical infrastructure projects that supports the mission of work centers. Our relationships don't stop there, working daily with government agencies, utility suppliers, vendors and contractors who support our factory build out. Our team ensures that all projects meet operational requirements, safety and environmental codes, all the while remaining within budget, delivering on time, and to the highest quality as we help to drive production forward.

About the Role

The Director- Design & Construction position is responsible for leading the planning, design, and execution of capital construction projects supporting rocket manufacturing in the Southeast US Region. This role oversees end-to-end delivery of complex, high-bay, mission-critical facilities—including site development, new factories, integration buildings, and supporting infrastructure—ensuring projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with aerospace, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

The Director will partner closely with manufacturing, propulsion, avionics, EHS, security, IT, and supply chain teams to translate technical requirements into buildable, scalable facilities that support rapid production ramp and long-term growth.

Capital Program Leadership

Own the full lifecycle of design and construction for major capital and development projects (greenfield, brownfield, and expansions).

Develop and manage multi-year capital plans aligned with production ramp, launch cadence, and company growth objectives.

Establish project governance, stage-gates, and reporting for executive leadership.

Design & Engineering Oversight

Lead architectural and engineering design efforts (A/E firms) for manufacturing, integration, and office facilities.

Ensure facility designs meet operational needs for rocket manufacturing, including:

• High-bay and heavy-lift environments
• Hazardous operations
• Specialized MEP, process utilities, and structural requirements

Drive standardization and design-for-manufacturing principles where possible.

Construction Execution

Oversee general contractors, design-build contractors, construction managers, and specialty trade partners.

Manage schedules, budgets, change control, and risk mitigation for large-scale construction projects.

Ensure construction quality, safety performance, and regulatory compliance.

Cross-Functional Integration

Partner with manufacturing, propulsion, test, EHS, security, and IT teams to integrate facility requirements early.

Support equipment installation, commissioning, and turnover to operations.

Coordinate utility, infrastructure, and site development scope (power, gas, cryo, water, roads, parking).

Regulatory, Safety & Compliance

Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations (building codes, environmental permits, fire marshal, OSHA).

Integrate EHS requirements into design and construction execution.

Support audits, inspections, and authority-having-jurisdiction (AHJ) approvals.

Financial & Vendor Management

Develop and manage capital budgets, cost forecasts, and cash flow.

Partner with Procurement to lead RFPs, contract negotiations, and vendor selection.

Manage external consultants, designers, and contractors for performance and value.

Team Leadership

Build and lead a high-performing design and construction team. This will primarily be focused on external consultants you'll lead and partner with.

Establish clear roles and performance expectations.

Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and execution excellence.

About You

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, or related field.
• 12+ years of experience in design and construction of complex industrial or mission-critical facilities.
• Proven leadership of large capital and development projects ($50M+), preferably in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, defense, or energy.
• Strong understanding of:
• Industrial construction and high-bay facilities
• Heavy equipment foundations and structural systems
• MEP and process utilities
• Experience managing A/E firms, contractors, design-build firms, and multiple concurrent projects.

Nice to Haves But Not Required

• Experience in aerospace, rocket manufacturing, or similarly regulated environments.
• Knowledge of hazardous materials, propulsion systems, or test facilities.
• Experience with fast-track and design-build project delivery models.
• Professional certifications (PE, PMP, CCM) a plus.
• Executive-level communication and stakeholder management
• Strong financial and schedule control discipline
• Ability to operate in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
• High ownership mindset with a bias toward execution

Successful candidates must clear a background check administered by the US government to obtain clearance for on-site work at our government partner location in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

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!

Hiring Range: $196,000 - $250,800 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.