Sr. Harness Engineer

Sr. Harness Engineer Astrolab - 4.3 Hawthorne, CA Job Details Full-time $169,000 - $187,000 a year 19 hours ago Benefits Health insurance Dental insurance Paid time off Parental leave Vision insurance 401(k) matching Qualifications Quality control corrective actions Electrical root cause analysis Defect resolution root cause analysis Technical documentation Defect analysis Electrical schematic reading and interpretation Schematic development for electrical drafting System design for system development Troubleshooting electrical systems Design engineering Aerospace electrical engineering expertise Design for manufacturability (DFM) Technical troubleshooting support Manufacturing Electronic component selection Cross-functional communication Product lifecycle management Full Job Description Description Venturi Astrolab, Inc. (Astrolab) is pioneering new ways to explore and operate on distant planetary bodies. We are singularly focused on designing, building, and operating a fleet of multi-purpose commercial planetary rovers to extend and enhance humanity's presence in the solar system. We are seeking motivated, creative, and exceptional people to join our world-class team. As a Harness Design Engineer, you'll own the design and execution of flight, GSE, and test harnesses that connect avionics, sensors, power systems, and vehicle subsystems—ensuring reliability in extreme environments. This is an end-to-end role spanning requirements definition, architecture, detailed design, first-article builds, qualification testing, and production support. You will work closely with mechanical, thermal, electrical, integration, and manufacturing teams to deliver harness systems that are safe, lightweight, manufacturable, and flight-ready. We are looking for a hands-on, highly collaborative engineer who thrives in fast-paced environments and is excited to build real flight hardware. You'll be a key technical owner on the vehicle program with high visibility and the ability to shape best practices as the organization scales. What you'll do: Coordinate with Avionics Engineers to define and manage system level harness schematics for flight hardware, test, and GSE assets. Identify and maintain a library aerospace-grade materials, including connectors, backshells, shielding, wires, and cables for signal, power, data, and RF. Use 3D CAD tools to design routed harness models, ensuring proper physical architecture based on aerospace standards for bend radii, strain relief, retention, isolation, and separation, within complex vehicle assemblies. Create 2D flat harness drawings and formboards for production. Support first-article builds and resolve manufacturing non-conformances. Perform essential analyses such as voltage drop, current derating, and EMI/EMC shielding effectiveness and resolve designs to defined standards. Coordinate qualification tests like continuity, isolation, and vibration/thermal cycling. What you'll bring: Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field 5+ years of professional experience in wire harness design (aerospace, vehicles, robotics, defense, or similarly rigorous environments) Proficiency with CAD tools and PLM systems; comfortable releasing production drawings Ability to interpret and create complex wiring diagrams, schematics, and interface documentation Strong understanding of harness design and manufacturing methods (buildability, inspection, testability, and rework considerations) Experience with aerospace-grade materials/component selection and design for weight, cost, and manufacturability Hands-on experience troubleshooting harness issues to root cause, with a corrective-action mindset Familiarity with one or more relevant standards, such as:

IPC/WHMA-A-620, NASA-STD-8739.4 / 8739.6, NASA-STD-6016, SAE AS22759, J-STD-001

Strong communication skills and ability to manage interfaces across multiple engineering teams Self-directed and comfortable solving open-ended problems with speed and rigor Additional Preferred Skills Prior experience in aerospace or launch vehicle applications Knowledge of redundancy strategies for flight-critical systems Experience designing for high vibration, vacuum, thermal cycling, and harsh EMI environments Background in harness-level or system-level signal integrity analysis for high-speed data interfaces (Ethernet, SpaceWire, LVDS) Proficiency with Siemens NX and Teamcenter Experience with harness-specific design tools such as E3 Zuken Benefits and Perks Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration Equity ownership in the company Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support 401(k) plan with company match Flexible PTO and parental leave Home office set up reimbursement Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site Once a month social hour on-site with food and drinks About Astrolab Having a strong, inclusive, and inspired team is essential to accomplishing our bold mission. Employees are our biggest asset, and we are deeply committed to them and our values. At Astrolab we… Demonstrate and inspire trust. Interactions are direct, honest, and respectful. We are fair and transparent with what we do and why. Thrive in balance. Balance gives us perspective and keeps us motivated and inspired. We commit to rewarding work and a fulfilling personal life. Seek diverse perspectives. We ask questions, engage in productive debate and offer alternatives to ensure our solutions and products are robust and a reflection of our collective best. Move with purpose. Quality and reliability are accomplished through efficient ideation and iteration. We act with a sense of urgency and deliver what we promise, always with the big picture in mind. Make an impact. We intentionally move our community and industry into the future through our work, practices, and actions.