Relativity Space Internship 2027–2028: Pay, ITAR Rules & How to Apply

Last updated: July 2026

Relativity Space is building the world's first entirely 3D-printed orbital rocket, and it hires an estimated 30–80 interns every summer to help do it. The company is valued at $4.2 billion and backed by Fidelity, BlackRock, and Y Combinator, with a ~$3 billion contract backlog and Terran R targeting its first orbital launch in late 2026. For the summer 2027 cycle (you apply fall 2026, you intern summer 2027), applications are expected to open around September 2026 with rolling review. And the ITAR gate is real: most engineering roles require U.S. Person status, which quietly disqualifies a large share of the applicant pool before anyone reads a resume.

Quick Facts

The two numbers that matter: applications expected to open September 2026 with rolling review, and most engineering roles require U.S. Person status under ITAR. SWE interns earned $38/hr in 2025, with projected rates of $44–52/hr for 2027.

Externships are short, remote professional experience programs where you finish a real project with a real company. The Wayfair AI Agent Engineering Externship and the Beats by Dre Data Analytics Externship build the Python, data-pipeline, and engineering-communication evidence a September application needs. Explore all Externships.

What Is a Relativity Space Internship?

A Relativity Space internship is a paid, 12-week, on-site placement at the company's 1-million-square-foot Long Beach headquarters (the former Boeing C-17 factory), where you work alongside engineers building the Stargate platform and Terran R rocket. Founded in 2015 by Tim Ellis (ex-Blue Origin) and Jordan Noone (ex-SpaceX), Relativity is the only company building orbital-class rockets using large-scale metal 3D printing. Intern reviews on Glassdoor describe "extremely smart people who are willing to help you learn" and a "supportive, collaborative work environment," and the company's customer roster (OneWeb, Intelsat, SES, Telesat, Iridium) means the hardware you touch has real launch contracts behind it.

When Do Relativity Space Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

Relativity Space's internship calendar follows a documented pattern: summer applications open in September, with rolling review running through February and offers landing January through March. For the summer 2027 cycle, that means applying in fall 2026, roughly 8 months before the late-May start. Fall and spring cycles exist but are smaller and posted on a per-opening basis. The key distinction from big-tech timelines: Relativity reviews applications continuously rather than in batches, so the first weeks of the window carry a genuine statistical advantage.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

Relativity Space uses rolling admissions, and Final Round AI confirms that applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis rather than all at once. Positions are filled as qualified candidates are identified. That means earlier applications statistically correlate with higher screen rates, since recruiter bandwidth narrows as the cycle progresses. With an estimated 30–80 intern seats and a September-to-February window, the math is simple: the deeper into the cycle you apply, the fewer seats are left and the more resumes are competing for them.

Which Relativity Space Internship Programs Should You Target?

Relativity Space runs three main internship tracks, plus several specialized roles that appear on a per-opening basis. Which one should you pick? The honest answer is the one whose skills you can already show, because every track interviews against its own domain expertise.

See current openings at relativityspace.com/internships. Relativity doesn't publicly disclose cohort sizes, but the estimated 30–80 summer interns is significantly smaller than SpaceX (300–500), which means more hands-on responsibility per person.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

Relativity Space publishes consistent eligibility requirements across its intern postings, with one major gate that disqualifies a large share of the applicant pool:

• ITAR requirement (most roles): Relativity builds launch vehicles classified as defense articles. Most engineering internships require U.S. Person status: U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees. F-1 visa holders are generally ineligible for hardware roles (flight software, propulsion, structures, manufacturing).

• Enrollment: must be enrolled in a bachelor's or graduate degree program with at least one academic term remaining after the internship ends. Expected graduation December 2026 to June 2028 for the summer 2027 cycle.

• Majors: Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Physics.

• Availability: the full 12 weeks, on-site at the Long Beach HQ. No remote or hybrid option for interns.

Does Relativity Space Have a GPA Cutoff?

No official minimum GPA is published. Reddit users who interned at Relativity confirm that "interviewers cared more about project experience" than school pedigree, suggesting that hands-on rocketry-team experience, 3D printing projects, embedded systems work, or CubeSat builds can offset lower academic performance. The hard gates are ITAR (U.S. Person status for most engineering roles) and the on-site Long Beach requirement. Some non-hardware software roles may have different ITAR requirements; always confirm with a recruiter before applying.

What Skills Does Relativity Space Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

Across Relativity Space's 2025–2026 internship postings, the required skills split sharply by track but share a common thread: real project experience matters more than coursework alone. SWE postings ask for Python or C++ proficiency, propulsion wants thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, and additive manufacturing requires materials science knowledge. But every track values hands-on engineering projects, the ability to think through ambiguous problems, and comfort working on hardware that will actually fly.

How Is Demand for Aerospace Engineering Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

And every skill in the chart maps to a remote Externship where you finish a real company project before the window opens.

How close is the overlap? The Wayfair deliverable is a Python-based engineering pipeline in the SWE posting's own vocabulary, and the data-driven analysis both Externships end on is the "analytical problem solving" line item nearly every Relativity track shares.

What Is the Relativity Space Application and Interview Process Like?

Relativity Space's hiring funnel runs 2–3 rounds, averaging about 24 days from application to decision:

1. Apply at relativityspace.com/internships through the Greenhouse ATS. Employee referrals carry the highest conversion rate. University career fairs, RippleMatch, and Prosple are also tracked channels.

2. Recruiter phone screen (30 minutes). Covers technical background, relevant projects, preferred tech stack, career goals, and ITAR eligibility confirmation. This is the gate where U.S. Person status is verified.

3. Technical interview (45–60 minutes). Role-specific deep dive: coding exercise in Python or C++ for SWE, materials analysis and failure scenarios for additive manufacturing, thermodynamics and combustion analysis for propulsion. Reddit users report some "quite left field" fundamentals questions.

4. Behavioral / final interview (45 minutes). STAR-format questions on teamwork, adaptability, and mission alignment. Assessment of past experiences and problem-solving approach. Some roles complete in two rounds rather than three.

Relativity interviews lean toward domain-focused questions (manufacturing data pipelines, real-time monitoring, materials characterization) rather than pure LeetCode algorithmic puzzles. Interviewers care more about project experience than school pedigree. Prepare by researching Terran R, the Stargate 3D-printing platform, and recent company news.

What Students on Reddit Say

Three threads show the process from the inside.

How Do You Stand Out When ITAR Already Narrows the Pool?

Three moves, all executable before September. First, apply in week one; rolling review means earlier applications face the most open seats and the widest recruiter bandwidth. Second, lead with project experience, not GPA. Reddit interns confirm Relativity interviewers weight hands-on rocketry-team builds, CubeSat work, 3D printing projects, and embedded-systems demos over school pedigree. Third, show domain fluency. Know the difference between Terran 1 (retired after maiden flight, March 2023) and Terran R (the vehicle you'd actually work on), understand why the Stargate platform matters, and come ready to discuss how your skills map to manufacturing analytics or flight software. ITAR already filters a large share of applicants; the students who clear that gate and show up with finished engineering artifacts stand out quickly.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

Relativity Space's peer set is the NewSpace cohort: companies where rocket hardware moves fast and internships carry outsized responsibility.

Our engineering internships summer 2027 guide maps the full aerospace market, timeline by timeline.

FAQ

When should I apply for a Relativity Space summer 2027 internship?

Applications are expected to open around September 2026 (historically starting September 2). Peak interview activity runs October 2026 through February 2027, with offers extended January through March 2027. Relativity uses rolling admissions, so applying within the first two weeks maximizes your chances.

Does Relativity Space hire international students for internships?

Most engineering roles require U.S. Person status under ITAR regulations (U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylee). F-1 visa holders are generally ineligible for hardware roles involving flight software, propulsion, structures, or manufacturing. Some non-hardware software roles may have different requirements. Always confirm ITAR eligibility with the recruiter before applying.

How much do Relativity Space interns get paid?

Software engineering interns earned $38/hr in summer 2025, with projected rates of $44–52/hr for 2027. Mechanical and propulsion engineering interns earned $38/hr in summer 2025, with projected rates of $40–46/hr. Relativity also provides a housing stipend for interns relocating to Long Beach, CA (historically $700–$5,000/month depending on role and year).

What is the Relativity Space interview process like?

The standard process has 2–3 stages: a 30-minute recruiter phone screen covering background, projects, and career goals; a 45–60-minute technical interview specific to your role (coding for SWE, materials analysis for manufacturing, thermodynamics for propulsion); and a behavioral interview assessing teamwork and problem-solving. Average time from application to offer is 24 days.

What GPA do I need for a Relativity Space internship?

No official minimum GPA is published. Strong project experience matters more than GPA at Relativity. Reddit users confirm that interviewers cared more about project experience than school pedigree. Hands-on experience with rocketry teams, 3D printing, embedded systems, or CubeSat projects can offset lower academic performance.

Do Relativity Space interns get return offers?

Approximately 45% of Relativity Space interns receive full-time return offers, according to Final Round AI data reviewed May 2026. This is below the 62% industry average (NACE 2024). SWE and manufacturing software roles report the highest conversion rates. Performance during the internship is the primary determinant.

What programming languages and skills should I know?

For SWE: Python (manufacturing analytics, data pipelines) and C++ (flight software, embedded systems). For additive manufacturing: materials science coursework, 3D printing experience, NDT knowledge. For propulsion: thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, combustion coursework. All candidates benefit from familiarity with CAD tools, Linux, Git, and MATLAB.

Is the Relativity Space internship remote or on-site?

Fully on-site in Long Beach, CA. There is no remote or hybrid option for interns. Relativity provides a housing stipend for interns who need to relocate. The headquarters is a 1-million-square-foot facility (formerly Boeing's C-17 factory) where Stargate printers and Terran R hardware are actively integrated.

The window opens in September and the review inside it's rolling. Spend the runway building proof: a remote Externship turns "interested in aerospace" into a finished engineering project a September application can point at.