Satellite Harness Engineer

xona-space; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Xona is seeking a Harness Engineer to design and build satellite harnesses and cables, partnering with avionics, mechanical, GNC, and manufacturing teams to deliver a robust subsystem for Pulsar. This hands-on role requires strong electrical design and documentation skills within a cutting-edge space program.

You will interpret engineering drawings and standards (IPC, MIL-STD, SMC), coordinate builds with contract manufacturers, and develop test harnesses to support diverse test setups, ensuring

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent industry experience.
• 2+ years experience in electrical harness design.
• Ability to read and interpret PCBA schematics, technical drawings, test plans, and procedures.
• Experience using harness test equipment such as multimeters and Hipot testers as well as building test fixtures (test boards, peg boards, etc.)
• Familiarity with Windows-based PC operating systems.
• Ability to clearly communicate verbally and in writing in English.

Responsibilities

• Own the design, cable routing, and build of the satellite's harnesses
• Closely work with electrical, mechanical, and other satellite design engineers to create harness drawings
• Understanding of industry-standard electrical design principles and standards (IPC, MIL-STD, SMC)
• Determine processes and select components to ensure a reliable and manufacturable solution that will survive the life of the mission
• Coordinate harness builds with contract manufacturers, taking into account the program build schedule and design requirements
• Track, design, and build test harnesses to support various test set ups (DVT, environmental, subsystem debug, etc)
• Interpret PCBA schematics, technical drawings, test plans, and work instructions
• Develop, maintain, and follow work instructions, connector mate logs, and test logs
• Support hardware troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and corrective actions

Skills

Electrical harness design

Schematic reading

English communication

Windows OS

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Multimeters

Hipot testers

Harness test fixtures

IPC/MIL-STD knowledge

Job description

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar - the world's most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit - Xona will offer a future‑proof, backwards‑compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

Description

We are looking for a Harness Engineer to design and build the satellite's harnesses and cables. This is a hands‑on, cross‑disciplinary role where you will work closely with experienced engineers across avionics, mechanical, GNC, and manufacturing teams. It is a unique opportunity to build a critical subsystem of a cutting‑edge space technology platform.

What You'll Do

• Own the design, cable routing, and build of the satellite's harnesses


• Closely work with electrical, mechanical, and other satellite design engineers to create harness drawings


• Understanding of industry‑standard electrical design principles and standards (IPC, MIL‑STD, SMC)


• Determine processes and select components to ensure a reliable and manufacturable solution that will survive the life of the mission


• Coordinate harness builds with contract manufacturers, taking into account the program build schedule and design requirements


• Track, design, and build test harnesses to support various test set ups (DVT, environmental, subsystem debug, etc)


• Interpret PCBA schematics, technical drawings, test plans, and work instructions


• Develop, maintain, and follow work instructions, connector mate logs, and test logs


• Support hardware troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and corrective actions

Required Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent industry experience


• 2+ years experience in electrical harness design


• Ability to read and interpret PCBA schematics, technical drawings, test plans, and procedures


• Experience using harness test equipment such as multimeters and Hipot testers as well as building test fixtures (test boards, peg boards, etc.)


• Familiarity with Windows‑based PC operating systems


• Ability to clearly communicate verbally and in writing in English

Desired Qualifications

• Experience designing, handling, and integrating spaceflight hardware


• Exposure to spacecraft environmental testing (vibration, thermal vacuum, thermal cycling)


• Experience working in cleanroom environments


• Familiarity with aerospace documentation standards and configuration control

For U.S. Roles

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles

To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles

Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.