Harness Design Engineer – Rocket Avionics & Flight Systems
Bay Area, California (Onsite Required)
Flight Hardware | Full Lifecycle Design | Real Missions to Orbit
We’re hiring for a space company in the Bay Area that’s building a next-gen, mobile launch vehicle. They’ve already launched to orbit, and they’re scaling up their engineering team to support the next phase of flight.
They’re looking for a Harness Design Engineer to join the Avionics team. This role focuses on designing and building the electrical harnesses that power and connect flight-critical systems across the rocket.
You’ll own your work from start to finish – from architecture and routing to component selection, testing, and troubleshooting. This is a full lifecycle role where your designs will fly.
Your Role
- Define and design complex harness systems for the rocket, from concept to launch
- Collaborate across electrical, thermal, and mechanical teams to meet tight integration needs
- Select connectors, materials, and components optimized for flight use
- Create and manage wiring diagrams, schematics, and mechanical layouts
- Support assembly, production, and first article builds of test and flight harnesses
- Perform pin-to-pin, grounding, and continuity checks
- Troubleshoot integration and production issues in a hands-on environment
✅ What You Bring
- 5+ years of professional harness design experience
- 3+ years working with mechanical design tools (NX preferred) and PLM systems
- Strong experience interpreting and creating complex wiring diagrams
- In-depth knowledge of aerospace-grade wire harness components and materials
- Comfort working in a production and test environment – hands-on and detail focused
- Familiarity with standards like IPC/WHMA-A-620, NASA-STD-8739.4/.6, or J-STD-001
- Critical thinking skills, clear technical communication, and ownership mindset
⭐ Nice to Have
- Experience with RapidHarness or similar tools
- Knowledge of high-vibration, vacuum, and redundancy-driven design environments
- Background in space or aerospace applications
- Experience designing flight hardware that’s gone to space
Why This Role Is Unique
- Your Work Will Fly: You’re designing flight-critical harnesses for real orbital missions
- Full Lifecycle Ownership: Architecture, routing, build support, and test – it’s all yours
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work directly with propulsion, structures, GNC, and more
- Startup Pace with Real Missions: A chance to move fast and make a direct impact
- Mission-Driven Team: Join a lean, skilled group of engineers focused on shipping flight hardware
If you’re a hands-on engineer who wants to see your work launch – literally – this is a great opportunity to do just that.
Apply now or message me for a confidential conversation.
Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.
Adam Slade