Staff Harness & Interconnect Engineer

E-Space

Santa Clara (CA)

On-site

USD 150,000 - 220,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salaries

Health and wellness options

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Job summary

E-Space in California is seeking an experienced interconnect and harness design engineer to own end-to-end connector, cable, and electrical interface design for a LEO satellite constellation. You will drive selection, qualification, and manufacturing transitions with international vendors and internal teams.

The role requires 10+ years in interconnect/harness design, at least 5 years in spacecraft programs, and hands-on CAD experience.

Qualifications

BS in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
10+ years in interconnect, harness, or electro-mechanical design.
5+ years on spacecraft or aerospace programs.
Hands-on experience with connector selection and qualification for space environments.

Responsibilities

Design and qualify connectors for spacecraft applications including shielded/unshielded interfaces.
Own connector selection trades across mass, volume, retention force, signal integrity.
End-to-end ownership of cable and harness design and production readiness.
Develop EICD and interconnect lists driving connector choices across spacecraft bus.
Manage vendor relationships with domestic and East Asian suppliers.
Drive design-for-manufacturing optimization to hit mass and cost targets.

Skills

Interconnect design

Harness design

Spacecraft experience

Electrical interface

CAD tools

Test & measurement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

MS in EE/ME (bonus)

Tools

SolidWorks

RapidHarness

Zuken

Job description

Ready to make connectivity from space universally accessible, secure and actionable? Then you've come to the right place!

E-Space is bridging Earth and space to enable hyper-scaled deployments of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and services. We are building a highly-advanced low Earth orbit (LEO) space system that will fundamentally change the design, economics, manufacturing and service deliveryassociated with traditional satellite and terrestrial IoT systems.

We're intentional, we're unapologetically curious and we're 100% committed to innovate space-based communications and deliver actionable intelligence that will expand global economies, protect space and our planet and enhance our overall quality of life.

Own the end-to-end design, development, and manufacturing transition of spacecraft harnesses, cables, connectors, and interconnect solutions for a LEO satellite constellation. You will drive connector selection from custom and COTS sources, develop cable assemblies spanning STP to coax to fiber, and work directly with international vendors to move designs from prototype through volume production.

What you'll be doing:

CONNECTOR & INTERCONNECT DESIGN

Design and qualify custom and COTS connectors for spacecraft applications including shielded/unshielded low-pin-count, board-to-board, coax, high-speed, and fiber-optic interfaces.
Own connector selection trades across mass, volume, retention force, signal integrity, and space qualification requirements.
Develop overmolding tooling and processes for connector space qualification.
Coordinate with domestic and East Asian connector vendors on custom solutions, design reviews, and qualification activities.

CABLE & HARNESS DESIGN

End-to-end ownership of cable and harness design: wire gauge selection, shielding architecture (STP, coax), routing, and drawing creation.
Drive cable manufacturing solutions from prototype through volume production.
Evaluate and specify specialty cables including ultra-lightweight coax and space-grade fiber optic assemblies.
Support harness manufacturing process development: stripping, termination (hotbar/wave solder), potting, and protection (sleeving, tape, fixation).

ELECTRICAL INTERFACE & INTEGRATION

Develop and maintain the Electrical Interface Control Document (EICD) and from/to interconnect lists driving connector selection across the spacecraft bus.
Interface with systems, RF, power, and digital teams on signal routing, impedance requirements, and EMI/EMC considerations.
Work with internal engineering teams to optimize board placement and overall connectivity strategy.
Evaluate emerging interconnect technologies: laser-cut FPC, conductive adhesives, silver ink traces, and R2R-compatible solutions for antenna and thin-film applications.

VENDOR & MANUFACTURING

Manage vendor relationships for connectors, cables, and interconnect components across domestic and East Asian suppliers.
Support manufacturing equipment sourcing and process development for cable stripping, termination, and assembly.
Partner with manufacturing teams to ensure high success rates in engineering-to-manufacturing transitions, including process validation, documentation, and first-article support.
Drive design-for-manufacturing optimization on interconnect solutions to hit cost and mass targets at constellation scale.

What you bring to this role:

BS in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline.
10+ years in interconnect, harness, or electro-mechanical design with at least 5 years on spacecraft or aerospace programs.
Hands-on experience with connector selection and qualification for space environments (thermal cycling, vibration, vacuum, outgassing).
Familiarity with IPC-620 (cable/harness), J-STD, and relevant NASA/ECSS/SAE workmanship standards.
Experience with CAD and harness design tools (SolidWorks, RapidHarness, Zuken, or equivalent).
Proficiency with lab equipment: multimeters, soldering, crimpers, TDR, hand tools.
Direct experience managing international component and cable vendors.

Bonus points for the following:

MS in EE, ME, or related field.
Experience with high-speed interconnects (PCIe, LVDS) and signal integrity basics.
Coax cable design and RF connector experience.
Fiber optic interconnect experience (transceiver integration, cable assemblies).
Exposure to flex/rigid-flex PCB design and mechanical packaging.
Experience with Altium Designer for PCB-level connector integration.
Background in NPI and scaling from prototype to volume production in NewSpace or high-rate manufacturing.
Familiarity with LEO constellation environments and radiation considerations.

Additional Requirements

This is a fast-paced, high-impact environment - flexibility to occasionally work extended hours or weekends during critical periods is expected.

$150,000 - $220,000 a year

Why E-Space is right for you:

As a member of our team, you will play a crucial role in driving our success. Our team members have a strong sense of dedication and responsibility; this includes a strong commitment to our mission to create an entirely new suite of global capabilities to improve lives, business efficiencies and build a smarter planet. This means that there will be times when extra hours, including nights and weekends, may be needed to meet critical deadlines and mission goals. In return, we offer a dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth and development and the chance to make a meaningful impact in a high-growth industry.

We want you to make the most of your journey at E-Space. That's why we support and invest in the physical, emotional and financial well-being of our team members and their families. Some of what you can expect when working at E-Space: