Staff Engineer (Mechanical, Harness Design)

Shield AI; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is looking for a Staff Harness Design Engineer in Boston, MA. In this role, you will lead the architecture and design of wire harnesses critical for next-generation autonomous UAVs. Responsibilities include the full harness design process, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and mentoring junior engineers.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's in Engineering and substantial experience in aerospace wire harness design along with strong CAD skills. A commitment to excellence and teamwork is essential.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in wire harness design for aerospace or robotics.
• Experience with electrical schematics and connector selection.
• Familiarity with EWIS compliance and RTCA DO-160 testing preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of wire harnesses for autonomous UAVs.
• Own harness design process from concept to drawing release.
• Collaborate with teams for integration of designs.

Skills

Wire harness design

Strong CAD skills (NX or CATIA)

Experience with EWIS design software

Expertise in GD&T

Hands-on experience with harness fabrication or testing

Ability to work independently

Mentoring engineers

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Teamcenter or similar PLM systems

Job description

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering
• 8+ years in wire harness design for aerospace or robotics
• Strong CAD skills (NX or CATIA preferred) for 3D harness modeling
• Experience using EWIS design software (Zuken, Capital, etc)
• Expertise in GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and IPC/WHMA-A-620 standards
• Experience with electrical schematics and connector selection
• Hands‑on experience with harness fabrication or testing
• Ability to work independently and lead in fast‑paced, cross‑functional teams
• A demonstrated record of working hard, being trustworthy, holding yourself to high standards, and being kind to others
• (Desirable) Experience designing harnesses for UAVs, aircraft, or spacecraft
• (Desirable) Familiarity with EWIS compliance and RTCA DO-160 testing
• (Desirable) Proficiency in failure mode analysis (FMEA) and root cause investigations
• (Desirable) Knowledge of Teamcenter or similar PLM systems

What the job involves

• Shield AI is seeking a Staff Harness Design Engineer with deep expertise in harness design to support the development of our next‑generation autonomous UAV platform. In this high‑ownership role, you will lead the architecture, design, and development of precision wire harnesses and cable assemblies that are critical to mission success
• Lead design of wire harnesses and cable assemblies for autonomous UAVs
• Own harness design process: concept, 3D CAD routing, analysis, and drawing release
• Perform electrical and environmental analysis for harness reliability
• Prototype and test harnesses in dynamic, mission‑critical environments
• Collaborate with avionics, systems, and manufacturing teams for integration
• Mentor engineers and drive harness design best practices