Staff Harness Engineer

Capella Space; Louisville (CO); Hybrid; USD 127,000 - 182,000; Full time

Job summary

Capella Space in Louisville, CO seeks a Staff Electrical Harness Design Engineer to lead full‑cycle harness designs from concept to flight readiness. You will collaborate with mechanical, RF, electrical, and systems teams to deliver high‑reliability, space‑ready harnesses for orbit.

You will guide the Harness team, define test plans, and drive design reviews while ensuring compliance with ITAR and industry standards. Some remote work is possible.

Qualifications

• BS or higher in Electrical/Mechanical Eng or equivalent.
• 5+ years designing, testing, and troubleshooting complex harnesses.
• Experience with end-to-end product lifecycles.
• Knowledge of PCBA design and interfacing with electrical engineers.
• RF cabling, components and testing knowledge.
• Excellent organizational and documentation habits.
• Familiarity with NASA-STD-8739.4 and IPC/WHMA-A-620 standards.
• Proficient with SolidWorks and CAD tools; knowledge of Zuken is a plus.
• Understanding EMI/EMC considerations and ITAR compliance.

Responsibilities

• Design System Level harnesses from power distribution to high‑speed communications
• Own the harness design lifecycle and implement harness design best practices
• Collaborate across teams—mechanical, RF, electrical, and systems—to ensure seamless integration
• Technical point of contact for Wire, Cable, Connector, and Harness suppliers
• Support resolving non‑conformances from harness suppliers
• Provide critical input to schedule planning, hardware requirements, and process improvements
• Define test plans and verification strategies that meet flight readiness requirements

Skills

Harness design experience

RF cabling knowledge

Electrical design principles

Documentation habits

NASA-STD-8739.4 knowledge

SolidWorks

CAD software

Zuken

ITAR/compliance awareness

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

B.S. or higher in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Equivalent experience/combined education

Tools

SolidWorks

Zuken

Cable design tools

Job description

Location:

This role is based onsite at our Louisville, CO office, with the option to work a few days remotely.

About IonQ:

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum platform and merchant supplier - delivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing, and security. IonQ’s newest generation of quantum computers, the IonQ Tempo, is the latest in a line of cutting‑edge systems that have been helping customers and partners including Amazon Web Services, and AstraZeneca achieve 20x performance results and accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. In 2025, the company achieved 99.99% two‑qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance.

Headquartered in College Park, Maryland, IonQ has operations in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Washington, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Our quantum computing services are available through all major cloud providers, while we also meet the needs of networking and sensing customers across land, sea, air, and space. IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than ever before.

Capella, an IonQ company, spans national security, advanced sensing, and next‑generation compute to deliver secure, mission‑ready intelligence. Capella’s culture is built on collaboration, rigorous engineering, and a shared commitment to delivering solutions that strengthen global stability and security. Team members work side‑by‑side with some of the most innovative minds in space systems, quantum‑enabled technologies, and mission‑critical operations.

Capella values curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to tackle hard problems with precision and creativity. Capella welcomes and encourages applicants whose perspectives are historically underrepresented in technology, national security, and aerospace. No prior space experience is required. Diverse viewpoints strengthen Capella’s ability to innovate and deliver meaningful impact for partners worldwide.

Travel:

Up to 10%, domestic or international.

Job ID:

1858

The Role

As a Staff Electrical Harness Design Engineer, you will take ownership of full‑cycle harness designs, from early concept to flight readiness. You will work cross‑functionally with systems, manufacturing, mechanical, EE, and RF teams to bring high‑reliability, space‑ready harnesses to orbit. You will guide the Harness team on special topics and present across disciplines to help facilitate ideas, product readiness, and conduct reviews.

Responsibilities

• Design System Level harnesses from power distribution to high‑speed communications
• Own the harness design lifecycle and implement harness design best practices
• Collaborate across teams—mechanical, RF, electrical, and systems—to ensure seamless integration. Knowledge of industry‑standard electrical design principles, to include, but not limited to electrical component selection, testing, manufacturing, and production processes
• Technical point of contact for Wire, Cable, Connector, and Harness suppliers
• Support resolving non‑conformances from harness suppliers
• Provide critical input to schedule planning, hardware requirements, and process improvements
• Define test plans and verification strategies that meet flight readiness requirements

What Success Looks Like

• You consistently deliver flight‑quality harnesses on schedule with minimal oversight
• You proactively identify and articulate system‑level risks and drive mitigations early
• You communicate across hardware/software and cross‑functional gaps with confidence and clarity
• You make thoughtful trade‑offs in constrained environments and justify them with data
• You show curiosity about advanced areas like architecture optimization or radiation mitigation, even if they’re outside your scope for now
• You exhibit advanced wide‑ranging experience in harness engineering, using in‑depth professional knowledge
• You get things done, align with stakeholders, and document concisely

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science or higher from an accredited college in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or related discipline, or equivalent experience/combined education
• 5+ years’ experience designing, testing, and troubleshooting complex harnesses
• Experience with designing and maintaining systems from beginning to end of the product lifecycle
• Knowledge of PCBA’s and working closely with electrical design engineers to define harnessing requirements and inform board level design decisions
• An understanding of RF cabling, components, and testing
• Excellent Organizational skills and strong documentation habits
• Strong knowledge of industry harnessing standards (NASA-STD-8739.4, IPC/WHMA-A-620, etc)
• Experience with SolidWorks or other CAD applications
• Strong knowledge of Zuken or other harness design applications
• Strong knowledge of cable assembly design
• An understanding of Electro Magnetic Effects (EME) to include Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) and Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI)
• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Capella Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable. Learn more about ITAR here.

Compensation

The final job level and annual salary will be determined based on the education, qualification, knowledge, skills, ability, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location and calibrated against relevant market data and internal team equity. Benefits listed in this posting may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Capella Space.

If this role has a commission structure, the compensation range below just reflects the base compensation range.

Wage Transparency:

$126,887 - $181,949 USD

Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location, and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Our benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401(k), unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, and a home technology stipend. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment.

At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.

We are committed to equity and justice. We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

US Technical Jobs.

The position you are applying for will require access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions. Employment with IonQ is contingent on either verifying “U.S. Person” (e.g., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum) status for export controls and government contracts work, obtaining any necessary license, and/or confirming the availability of a license exception under U.S. export controls. Please note that in the absence of confirming you are a U.S. Person for export control and government contracts work purposes, IonQ may choose not to apply for a license or decline to use a license exception (if available) for you to access export‑controlled technology that may require authorization, and similarly, you may not qualify for government contracts work that requires U.S. Persons, and IonQ may decline to proceed with your application on those bases alone. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.

US Non-Technical Jobs.

Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.