Staff Engineer, Mechanical - Harness Design (R4594)

Shield; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Staff Harness Design Engineer to lead the architecture, design, and development of precision wire harnesses and cable assemblies for our autonomous UAV platform.

This high‑ownership role requires deep expertise in harness design, CAD modeling, and EWIS tooling, with collaboration across avionics, systems, and manufacturing teams. A strong record of leadership and the ability to obtain a security clearance are valued.

Qualifications

• 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.
• Ability to obtain a S/SAR level security clearance desired.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Harness design

CAD (NX/CATIA)

EWIS design software

GD&T & IPC/WHMA-A-620

Electrical schematics

Harness fabrication/testing

Independent leadership

Education

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

Tools

NX

CATIA

Zuken

Capital

Teamcenter

Job description

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense‑tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V‑BAT and X‑BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia‑Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description: 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.

What you'll do:

• 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

Required qualifications:

• 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
• Ability to obtain a S/SAR level security clearance desired

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience designing harnesses for UAVs, aircraft, or spacecraft
• Familiarity with EWIS compliance and RTCA DO-160 testing
• Proficiency in failure mode analysis (FMEA) and root cause investigations
• Knowledge of Teamcenter or similar PLM systems

Full‑time regular employee offer package: Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package: Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part‑time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed toequal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.