Senior Harness Design Engineer I
About The Position
The Senior Harness Design Engineer I will be based at Rocket Lab’s global headquarters in Long Beach, California, and will focus on designing, developing, and integrating electrical harnesses for spacecraft. The role includes defining interfaces, selecting components, specifying harness split locations and lengths, and producing design documentation for spacecraft engineering teams. The engineer will work with systems engineering, mechanical engineering, and assembly, integration, and test (AIT) teams to integrate harness systems into spacecraft. The role applies electrical engineering principles to wiring diagram development, interface definition, and interpretation of electrical system architectures, and supports the full harness engineering lifecycle from design through fabrication and integration. Responsibilities also include electrical design and analysis, supporting schematics and documentation, participating in design reviews, and resolving harness-related electrical issues during fabrication, integration, and testing.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, or another engineering discipline.
- At least 5 years of electrical engineering or avionics experience.
- U.S. citizenship is required due to program requirements.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s or PhD in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, or another engineering discipline.
- Experience in the aerospace or defense industry.
- Experience supporting satellite development programs and satellite operations.
- Proficiency in electrical engineering principles, including power distribution, signal integrity, grounding, and communication systems such as RS-422, SPI, Ethernet, and CAN bus.
- Experience with harness design tools such as Capital Essentials, NX, and Teamcenter.
- Familiarity with harness design and fabrication standards such as NASA-STD-8739.4 and IPC/WHMA-A-620.
- Experience testing harness systems, including continuity, insulation resistance, and functional testing.
- Knowledge of thermal and mechanical considerations for harness routing and integration.
- Familiarity with requirements management tools such as JAMA.
- Ability to work in a dynamic environment with competing priorities.
- Ability to obtain a Top Secret clearance.
Responsibilities
- Design and develop spacecraft electrical harness systems, including connector and backshell selection, wire selection, shielding, and routing.
- Generate wiring diagrams, pinout tables, and interface definitions from spacecraft interconnect diagrams.
- Work with systems engineering to interpret system architecture and define electrical interfaces.
- Create and maintain harness Bills of Materials in the product lifecycle management tool.
- Develop and maintain harness fabrication drawings and documentation using tools such as Capital Essentials, NX, and Teamcenter.
- Support harness fabrication and ensure compliance with space-grade standards and industry best practices.
- Define and verify harness acceptance criteria, including electrical testing and inspection.
- Collaborate with systems, mechanical, and AIT teams to integrate harnesses into spacecraft.
- Perform electrical design and analysis to ensure harness systems meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements.
- Support electrical system schematics and harness design documentation.
- Participate in design reviews and provide technical input to ensure harness designs meet program requirements.
- Troubleshoot and resolve harness-related electrical issues during fabrication, integration, and testing.
Benefits
- Company stock as part of total compensation.
- Employee Stock Purchase Program with a 15% discount on company stock.
- Medical plans, including HMO, PPO, and a zero-cost HDHP option with a significant company HSA contribution.
- Dental and vision coverage.
- Paid vacation and sick time.
- 11 paid holidays.
- Flexible spending and dependent care accounts.
- Paid parental leave.
- Disability and life insurance.
- 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
- Subsidized EV charging.
- Onsite fitness centers where available.
- Discounted gym memberships.
- Complimentary snacks and beverages.
- 50% employee discount on the company merchandise store.
- Other employee discounts.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
