Harness Design Engineer

Astro Digital; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Astro Digital in San Jose, California is searching for a Harness Design Engineer to oversee the full lifecycle of electrical harness development for next-generation spacecraft. This role involves close collaboration with various engineering teams to ensure the successful delivery of wiring harnesses that meet rigorous standards.

Qualified candidates should hold a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and possess at least 2 years of relevant experience. Knowledge of electrical design tools and grounding principles is essential. This position is ideal for those with expertise in aerospace or defense applications.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in electrical harness design for aerospace, spacecraft, or defense applications.
• Hands-on experience with harness design tools like OnShape or Altium.
• Solid understanding of EMI/EMC principles in spacecraft systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop spacecraft electrical harnesses from requirements capture through fabrication.
• Produce harness design documentation including wire lists, schematics, and drawings.
• Lead harness integration activities on the spacecraft, including pull tests and functional verification.

Skills

Electrical harness design

Documentation skills

Grounding and shielding principles

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

OnShape

Altium

Job description

Astro Digital designs, builds, and operates a diverse range of small satellite systems supporting space-based turnkey missions for several business applications, including earth observation, communications, in-orbit demonstrations, risk reduction, science, and exploration. Astro Digital is headquartered in Littleton, Colorado with roughly 100employees and infrastructure around the globe.

Position Summary

We're looking for a Harness Design Engineer to own the full lifecycle of electrical harness development from concept through integration and teston next-generation spacecraft programs. You'll work at the intersection of electrical design, systems integration, and hands-on hardware, collaborating closely with the different engineering teams to deliver flight-ready wiring harnesses that perform flawlessly in the harshest environments imaginable.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Design and develop spacecraft electrical harnesses from requirements capture through fabrication, integration, and acceptance testing
• Produce and own harness design documentation including wire lists, schematics, connectors, drawings, and routing diagrams using tools
• Author and maintain engineering specifications, manufacturing work instructions, and acceptance test procedures (ATPs)
• Support and lead harness fabrication with manufacturing and technician teams, providing build support and resolving discrepancies on the floor
• Perform and review electrical analysis including wire sizing, voltage drop, shield grounding, and derating
• Lead harness integration activities on the spacecraft, including pull tests, continuity, hi-pot, and functional verification
• Drive design improvements through lessons learned, DFM (Design for Manufacturability) reviews, and failure analysis
• Interface with suppliers and vendors to specify, procure, and qualify harness components (connectors, wire, backshells, etc.)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field
• 2+ years of experience in electrical harness design for aerospace, spacecraft, or defense applications
• Hands‑on experience with harness design tools (OnShape, Altium or similar)
• Experience supporting hardware through build, integration, and test phases
• Solid understanding of grounding, shielding, EMI/EMC principles in spacecraft systems
• Strong documentation skillsyou write clear specs, drawings, and work instructions

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience on LEO or GEO satellite programs
• Proficiency with connector and wire standards (MIL-DTL-38999, MIL-W-22759, NASA-STD-8739.4, etc.)
• Familiarity with NASA or ECSS workmanship standards
• IPC/WHMA-A-620 certification or equivalent
• Exposure to AS9100 quality management environments
• Experience with PDM/PLM systems (Odoo)

Physical Demands

This position requires the ability to lift and move objects weighing up to 50 Lbs. Frequent standing, walking, bending, and reaching may be required.

Export Statement

This position requires access to export-controlled commodities, technical data, technology, software, and services. U.S. citizenship, U.S. legal permanent resident status, or protected person status under 22 CFR §120.15 and 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3) is required.