Staff Harness & Interconnect Engineer

E-Space; Saratoga (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness benefits

Paid time off

Competitive salary

Professional development

Job summary

E-Space seeks an experienced interconnect and harness designer to own the end-to-end design, development, and manufacturing transition of spacecraft harnesses and interconnect solutions for a LEO constellation.

Responsibilities include connector design, cable routing, and vendor coordination to move designs from prototype to volume production, with a focus on space-qualified interfaces and high-reliability assemblies.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline.
• 10+ years in interconnect, harness, or electro-mechanical design with 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 NASA/ECSS/SAE 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.

Responsibilities

• CONNECTOR & INTERCONNECT DESIGN: Design and qualify custom and COTS connectors for spacecraft interfaces 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, 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, potting, and protection.
• ELECTRICAL INTERFACE & INTEGRATION: Develop and maintain the EICD and interconnect lists driving connector selection.
• Interface with systems, RF, power, and digital teams on signal routing, impedance and EMI/EMC.
• Work with internal engineering teams to optimize board placement and connectivity strategy.
• Evaluate emerging interconnect technologies: laser-cut FPC, conductive adhesives, silver ink traces, and R2R 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 to ensure high success rates in engineering-to-manufacturing transitions, including process validation and first-article support.
• Drive design-for-manufacturing optimization on interconnect solutions to hit cost and mass targets at constellation-scale.

Skills

Interconnect design

Laboratory testing

Vendor management

High-speed interconnects

Signal integrity basics

Education

BS in Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

SolidWorks

RapidHarness

Zuken

Altium Designer

Job description

Overview

Ready to make connectivity from space universally accessible, secure and actionable? 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 delivery associated with traditional satellite and terrestrial IoT systems. We’re intentional, curious and committed to innovate space-based communications and deliver actionable intelligence that expands global economies, protects space and our planet, and enhances quality of life.

Role: Own the end-to-end design, development, and manufacturing transition of spacecraft harnesses, cables, connectors, and interconnect solutions for a LEO satellite constellation. 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.

Responsibilities

• 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 strippng, 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.

Qualifications

• 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.

Compensation & Location

$150,000 - $200,000 a year

This is a full-time, exempt position, based out of our Saratoga office. The total compensation package will be determined by factors such as your knowledge, skills, and experience. E-Space is not able to provide employment sponsorship for candidates who do not hold work authorization for the role location.

Why E-Space

We are redefining how satellites are designed, manufactured and used. Candidates should have passion, deep knowledge and direct experience on LEO satellite component development, design and in-orbit activities. If that’s your experience, we’ll be impressed.

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. Benefits include comprehensive health and wellness options, paid holidays and time off, competitive salaries, ongoing learning, and other programs to support you and your family.