Senior Opto/Electrical Harness Engineer -- Antenna Systems

Job Description

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 delivery associated 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.

We are hiring a Senior Opto/Electrical Harness Engineer to own the optical and electrical harness that brings a space-based antenna to life — and to carry that ownership all the way through to functional, flight-qualified hardware that meets requirements. This is a hands-on individual-contributor role for an engineer who takes personal responsibility for the outcome, makes decisions with imperfect information, and stays engaged until the hardware works.

You own both the optical and the electrical harness. Not the drawings alone, not the design review alone — the working hardware. You should be comfortable at the bench and on the integration floor, fluent in the data that tells you whether a harness will survive launch and operate on orbit, and willing to confront the problems that stand between a design and qualified flight hardware.

On-site in California or Texas. Some travel between sites may be required.

Your mission

Turn ambiguous, first-of-a-kind problems into optical and electrical harness, interconnect, and sensing products that are manufacturable, qualified for the flight environment, and proven to meet requirements in functional hardware. Move with urgency without compromising reliability — on a spacecraft, the harness cannot be reworked once it’s on orbit, so getting it right and getting it done are the same job.

What you will own

• Optical and electrical harness design — through delivered hardware. Own the design and selection of the antenna’s wiring harness across both domains: electrical wiring, optical fiber, connectors, and interconnects — including controlled-impedance design and impedance matching where signal integrity depends on it. Ownership does not end at drawing release; it ends when functional hardware meets requirements.
• Sensing and signal interfaces. Own the on-structure sensors and their integration, routing, and signal interfaces.
• Requirements and supplier decisions. Define harness and connector requirements and drive component selection and supplier evaluation. Make the call, document the rationale, and keep the program moving.
• Qualification for flight. Take harness, connectors, and fiber through qualification for the flight environment, and own the results — including the failures — until the hardware is proven.
• Routing and integration on a deployable structure. Develop routing, strain-relief, and integration approaches compatible with a large deployable spacecraft structure.
• Documentation others can build to. Create harness drawings, wire lists, and interface documentation precise enough to manufacture and integrate from without interpretation.
• Anomaly resolution across the lifecycle. Support assembly, integration, and test, and drive harness-related anomalies to root cause and lasting correction throughout the entire product lifecycle.

How you work

Bias for action. You move quickly from problem to decision to a next step. You distinguish choices that can be tested and adjusted on the bench from decisions that require deeper validation before flight, and you act with urgency on both.

Extreme ownership. You own the harness outcome end to end — across both optical and electrical domains and across design, supplier, qualification, and integration. When a dependency threatens the build, you engage the people needed to resolve it, communicate the impact, and drive a recovery plan. The hardware working is your responsibility, not someone else’s.

Relentless follow-through. You define what “done” means before you start — and “done” is functional hardware that meets requirements, not a released drawing. You inspect your own progress, surface stalled work early, and close the loop.

High standards and direct communication. You use facts and data to judge whether a design will survive and perform, you raise problems candidly and early, and you take responsibility for solving them.

Presence where the hardware is. You spend time at the bench and on the integration floor. You handle the hardware, listen to the technicians building and testing it, and use firsthand observation to make better decisions.

What you bring

• A BS or MS in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Experience designing electrical harness, cabling, and interconnects for flight or high-reliability hardware, including controlled-impedance design and impedance matching.
• Experience with optical / fiber-optic harness and interconnects — this role owns both optical and electrical harness design.
• Experience with connector selection and harness qualification.
• Familiarity with harness drawings, wire lists, and interface control.
• Demonstrated ownership of a deliverable from design through functional, requirement-meeting hardware — and the follow-through to see it proven.

Preferred (a plus, not required):

• Sensors and instrumentation integration.
• Space or flight environmental qualification (thermal-vacuum, vibration, radiation).
• Experience with large space structures.

What success looks like

The antenna’s optical and electrical harness is designed, qualified, integrated — and it works in functional hardware that meets requirements. Problems surface early and get decisive action. Qualification results are trusted. Harness-related anomalies decline and don’t recur. The harness you own survives launch and performs on orbit, and the team can build and integrate from your documentation without guesswork.

The pace

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

This is a full time, exempt position, based out of our Santa Clara, CA location. The target base pay for this position in Santa Clara, California is $140,000 - $190,000 annually.  The total compensation package will be determined by various factors such as your relevant job-related knowledge, skills, and experience and location. 

We are redefining how satellites are designed, manufactured and used—so we’re looking for candidates with passion, deep knowledge and direct experience on LEO satellite component development, design and in-orbit activities. If that’s your experience – then we’ll be immediately wow-ed.

E-Space is not currently able to provide employment sponsorship for candidates who do not hold work authorization for the location of this role.  

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:

• An opportunity to really make a difference

• Sustainability at our core

• Fair and honest workplace

• Innovative thinking is encouraged

• Competitive salaries

• Continuous learning and development

• Health and wellness care options

• Financial solutions for the future

• Optional legal services (US only)

• Paid holidays

• Paid time off

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.