Spacecraft Harness Design Engineer III - TeraWave

Application close date:

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight! 

This is a unique opportunity to design harness systems for a mega-constellation of 5,408 satellites, where manufacturability, cost optimization, and production rate are first-order design drivers from day one. You will work across every subsystem on the vehicle — EPS power distribution, flight computer C&DH, GNC sensors, propulsion, solar array, RF and optical payloads, and thermal management — giving you broad spacecraft-level visibility that few harness roles offer.

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• Design, develop, and release spacecraft wire harness assemblies for bus, payload, and integration applications across the TeraWave satellite constellation
• Develop Bundle Interconnect Diagrams (BIDs) and Wire Interconnect Diagrams (WIDs) in coordination with LRU/box owners across all subsystems (avionics, propulsion, GNC, RF payload, optical payload, solar array, thermal)
• Produce harness engineering drawings including harness assembly drawings, installation drawings, and connector pin assignment drawings
• Create and maintain 3D harness routing models in Creo/Windchill, performing interference checks, bend radius verification, and mass/length estimation
• Work to harness specifications, workmanship standards, and design requirements aligned with Blue Origin command media

• Select connectors, backshells, contacts, and interconnect hardware appropriate for the space environment (vacuum, thermal cycling, radiation, vibration)
• Define connector keying, clocking, and pin assignments to ensure proper mating and prevent misconnection during integration
• Specify shielding termination methods (360° backshell termination, pigtail, drain wire) based on EMI/EMC requirements and signal type

• Perform harness-related analyses including voltage drop, wire derating, current capacity, weight estimation, and thermal dissipation
• Support EMI/EMC analysis for harness segregation planning — separate power, signal, and RF runs per the Electromagnetic Effects Control Plan

• Coordinate with manufacturing engineering on harness fabrication — support make/buy decisions, develop build instructions, and resolve production issues
• Support harness fabrication to specified workmanship standards
• Develop test procedures for harness acceptance testing (continuity, hipot, insulation resistance, megohm)
• Support vehicle integration and test — troubleshoot harness anomalies, process redlines, and support connector mate/demate operations
• Design harnesses for manufacturability and rate production — minimize harness variants, standardize connector families, and optimize for assembly time at constellation scale (5,408 satellites)

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field
• 5+ years of experience in spacecraft or satellite harness design, cable routing, or electrical integration
• Demonstrated experience producing harness assembly drawings, installation drawings, and connector pin assignment documentation
• Hands-on experience with BID/WID development and interface coordination across multiple subsystems
• Proficiency with electrical harness CAD tools (Creo Cabling / Routed Systems, Zuken, Capital Harness, Mentor/Siemens, or equivalent)
• Working knowledge of harness fabrication standards
• Understanding of EMI/EMC principles as applied to harness segregation, shielding, and grounding
• Familiarity with connector systems used in space applications (Micro-D, Nano-D, D-sub, circular MIL-DTL-38999, MIL-DTL-83513, etc.)
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, Block diagrams, and interface control documents
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple concurrent harness designs in a fast-paced environment
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

• 5+ years of experience in spacecraft harness design with at least one program through full lifecycle
• Experience with Creo Cabling / Routed Systems and Windchill PLM for harness configuration management
• Direct experience designing harnesses for satellite constellations or high-rate spacecraft or automotive production environments
• Experience with high-voltage (>50V) spacecraft power harness design
• Experience with harness weight optimization techniques for mass-constrained spacecraft
• Background in harness-level or system-level signal integrity analysis for high-speed data interfaces (Ethernet, SpaceWire, LVDS)
• Experience supporting harness fabrication shops — reviewing first articles, dispositioning nonconformances, and developing rework procedures

Compensation Range for:

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.