Senior Wire Harness Engineer

Grit Ventures; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Apptronik is seeking a Senior Wire Harness Engineer to design, route, and validate complex wire harnesses for the Apollo humanoid platform. You will own power and data distribution within space-constrained assemblies and ensure manufacturability and high reliability in a dynamic electromechanical system.

The role requires strong E-CAD proficiency and experience with high-speed data and high-power harnessing, with collaboration across electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical/Mechanical/Robotics required.
• Experience designing wire harnesses for complex electromechanical systems.
• Strong knowledge of wire sizing, voltage drop, EMI/EMC shielding and thermal derating.

Responsibilities

• Design, route, and document wire harness assemblies with detailed drawings, schematics, and BoMs.
• Route cables across high-DOF joints with appropriate materials and shielding.
• Collaborate across Electrical, Mechanical, and Manufacturing teams to optimize harness placement.
• Lead DFx initiatives to reduce harness complexity, part count, and assembly time.
• Perform testing and failure analysis (continuity, Hi-Pot, pull-force) to identify failures.

Skills

High-speed data

High-power distribution

ECAD software

Physics-based design

Communication

Industry standards

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical / Mechanical / Robotics

Job description

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond.
We operate at the cutting edge of Applied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.

JOB SUMMARY

As a Senior Wire Harness Engineer, you are a core technical contributor responsible for the "nervous system" of our humanoid platform. You will design, route, and validate the complex wire harnesses that enable Apollo to move, sense, and think. This role requires a strong blend of electrical system knowledge and mechanical integration. You will execute critical power and data distribution designs, ensuring our interconnect systems are robust, manufacturable, and optimized for high reliability in a dynamic electromechanical machine.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIEs

• Harness Design & Routing: Design, route, and document complex wire harness assemblies, developing detailed 2D/3D drawings, schematics, and full Bills of Materials (BoMs) using enterprise E-CAD software.
• Dynamic Joint Routing: Apply best practices for routing cables across high-DOF (Degree of Freedom) joints. Select wire types, jackets, and shielding materials that survive extreme dynamic environments and high-cycle fatigue.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as a key technical bridge between Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Manufacturing. Optimize harness placement within tight spaces while balancing connector density, serviceability, and thermal constraints.
• Design for Excellence (DfX): Drive Design for Manufacturability (DfM) and Assembly (DfA) initiatives to reduce harness complexity, part count, and assembly time. Support the integration of advanced techniques like overmolding and custom backshells.
• Testing & Failure Analysis: Conduct root cause analysis on harness and interconnect failures. Participate in DFMEAs and perform hands-on validation (e.g., continuity, Hi-Pot, and pull-force tests) to identify and mitigate hidden failure modes.
• Vendor Support: Work closely with the supply chain team and external harness manufacturing partners to clarify technical requirements, resolve DFM feedback, and ensure quality during the transition from prototype to production.
• E-CAD & Standardization: Maintain clean component libraries and utilize E-CAD workflows effectively. Help enforce drawing standards and documentation best practices.
• Mentorship: Provide technical guidance and support to junior engineers and assembly technicians, fostering a collaborative culture of engineering rigor.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Subject Matter Expertise: Strong knowledge of High-Speed Data (e.g., GMSL, CAN, Ethernet) and High-Power distribution within a single, space-constrained harness.
• Dynamic Routing: Proven track record of designing high-flex cabling for dynamic applications (robotics, aerospace gimbals, automotive doors, or similar).
• E-CAD Proficiency: Strong proficiency in modern E-CAD software (e.g., Zuken E3.series, Siemens Capital, SolidWorks Electrical, Rapid Harness, or Altium).
• Physics-Based Design: Solid understanding of wire sizing, voltage drop, EMI/EMC shielding principles, signal integrity, and thermal derating in bundled configurations.
• Communication: Excellent problem-solving and communication skills; able to articulate technical trade-offs clearly to cross-functional peers.
• Industry Standards: Direct experience with common industry standards for harness manufacturing and quality control

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Experience: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Robotics with 4+ years of experience designing wire harnesses for complex electromechanical systems

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
• Hearing and speech to communicate

*This is a direct hire. Please, no outside Agency solicitations.

Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.