Harness Design Engineer (San Jose California)

Astro Digital; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Astro Digital is seeking a Harness Design Engineer to own the full lifecycle of electrical harness development for next‑generation spacecraft. You will design, document, and integrate wiring harnesses, collaborating with electrical and mechanical teams to deliver flight‑ready assemblies that meet harsh environment requirements.

Responsibilities include creating wire lists, schematics, and routing diagrams; performing wire sizing and derating analyses; leading on‑the‑floor build support,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Aerospace engineering or related field.
• 2+ years of aerospace harness design experience.
• Hands-on with harness design tools (OnShape, Altium or similar).
• Experience supporting hardware through build, integration and test.
• Solid grounding, shielding, EMI/EMC knowledge for spacecraft.
• Strong documentation skills including specs and drawings.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop spacecraft electrical harnesses from requirements to fabrication, integration and test.
• Produce harness documentation: wire lists, schematics, connectors, drawings and routing diagrams.
• Author and maintain engineering specifications, manufacturing instructions and ATPs.
• Support harness fabrication on the shop floor and resolve discrepancies.
• Perform electrical analyses: wire sizing, voltage drop, shielding and derating.
• Lead harness integration activities: pull tests, continuity, hi‑pot and verification.
• Drive design improvements via DFM reviews and failure analysis.
• Interface with suppliers to specify, procure and qualify harness components.

Skills

Harness design

OnShape

Altium

Grounding & EMI/ EMC

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Aerospace 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 100 employees 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 test on 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 skills - you 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.