Manufacturing Engineer, Harnessing

Pow.bio; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Long-term stock incentives

Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance

Four weeks of paid time off per year

Job summary

A defense development company in Torrance, California, is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to lead the development of manufacturing processes for wiring harnesses and cable assemblies. The role involves creating work instructions, supporting supplier readiness, and optimizing production transitions. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, 3+ years of relevant experience, and familiarity with manufacturing standards. Benefits include comprehensive insurance and stock incentives.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering focused on wiring harness/cable assembly processes.
• Strong familiarity with harness standards and assembly best practices.
• Hands-on experience with electromechanical hardware manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain work instructions and manufacturing process documentation.
• Partner with supply chain to qualify external harness fabrication partners.
• Support design reviews focusing on manufacturability and readiness.

Skills

Manufacturing engineering

Wiring harness/cable assembly

Lean methodologies

Quality assurance

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, or related Engineering discipline

Job description

About Castelion

Castelion is bringing a new approach to defense development and production: one that focuses on short, iterative design cycles, rapid testing in development, and modern commercial manufacturing strategies for production at scale. We're designing, building, and testing next generation long range strike weapons systems to give America and its Allies a definitive edge and deter future conflicts.

About the Role

Castelion is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to lead the development and implementation of manufacturing processes for wiring harnesses, cable assemblies, interconnect systems, and associated test plans. This role will support both in-house and supplier fabrication and test activities as we transition designs from prototype to scaled production in support of next-generation defense systems.

Key Outcomes for 2026

• Establish In-House Harness Fabrication Capability – define, document, and implement procedures, tooling standards, work instructions, and process flows for harness fabrication and validation.
• Deliver All Harness Assemblies On-Time with Zero Defects – drive, track, and report build execution for all harnessing to meet development, test, and qualification milestones. Establish and enforce key quality checkpoints to detect and resolve assembly, continuity, or functional defects before delivery to integration.
• Establish & Qualify a Supply Chain for Prototype and Production Harness Fabrication – identify, evaluate, and onboard supplier partners for harness fabrication and test that align with part complexity, lead time needs, and quality/risk requirements. Define supplier qualification criteria (capability matrices, certifications, workmanship standards, test coverage, inspection tools) and establish supplier audits, capability studies, and baseline process validations.

Key Responsibilities

• Assembly & Test Procedure – create and maintain work instructions, bill of materials (BOM/MBOM), harness assembly flows, test plans, fixture/tooling specifications, and manufacturing process documentation for prototype and production harness builds.
• Supplier Development & Support – partner with supply chain to qualify and develop external harness fabrication partners, define quality/test criteria (continuity, insulation, functional, hi-pot), and support supplier readiness for production builds.
• Prototype to Production Transition – support design reviews with a focus on design for manufacturability (DFM), design for test (DFT), connector selection, harness routing, and supplier handoff readiness. Facilitate risk analysis and manufacturing readiness reviews (MRRs).
• Testing & Validation – develop and implement harness test procedures and systems for continuity, insulation resistance, high-pot/functional verification, environmental screening when required, and test data analysis.
• Continuous Improvement & Metrics – drive yield improvement, throughput gains, defect reduction, and cost optimization through Lean and CI methodologies.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, or related Engineering discipline.
• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering with emphasis on wiring harness/cable assembly processes, fabrication, and test.
• Strong familiarity with harness standards (crimping, routing, strain relief techniques), electrical continuity/functional test methods, and assembly best practices.
• Hands‑on experience developing manufacturing processes and work instructions for electromechanical hardware.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. and comply with ITAR eligibility requirements.

ITAR Requirements

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

EEO Statement

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Benefits

All employees are granted long-term stock incentives as part of their employment at Castelion. All employees receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance, and the company offers four weeks of paid time off per year.