Staff Engineering Specialist, Harness Design

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With nine offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description:

We are growing the Hardware Test - Electrical Engineering team to support V-BAT and X-BAT test development, sustaining, and production support activities.

Shield AI is on a mission to build the world's best AI pilot-and we're looking for a Hardware Test - Harness Design Specialist help power that vision. In this high-impact, high-ownership role, you'll take the lead in architecting and designing the complex wire harnesses and cable assemblies that test the nervous system of our autonomous UAV platforms.

Your expertise in harness design won't just support the mission-it will enable it. From concept to deployment, you'll play a critical role in ensuring reliability, precision, and performance in the field, where failure is not an option.

If you're passionate about cutting-edge aerospace technology and want to build systems that make a real-world difference, this is your chance to make your mark-on the ground and in the skies.

What you'll do:

• Architect and design complex wire harnesses and cable assemblies for UAV subsystem and HIL/SIL test environments
• Execute full lifecycle harness development, including electrical topology definition, schematic creation, CAD routing, conductor selection, shielding/grounding strategy, and DFM/DFA considerations
• Perform analysis of harness electrical performance, including impedance control, signal integrity, voltage drop, EMI/EMC susceptibility, and environmental derating
• Apply aerospace-grade validation techniques, such as continuity verification, hipot testing, insulation resistance testing, and environmental exposure assessments
• Prototype, debug, and validate harness assemblies in hardware-in-the-loop testbeds and dynamic flight-representative configurations
• Interface closely with avionics, systems engineering, test engineering, and manufacturing to ensure alignment of requirements, connector ecosystems, pinouts, and integration workflows
• Define and maintain harness documentation packages, including detailed drawings, BOMs, wire tables, and configuration baselines
• Mentor technicians on best practices for EWIS design, standards compliance, manufacturability, and reliability engineering
• Other duties as assigned.

Required qualifications:

• 1+ year in wire harness design for automotive, aerospace or robotics (advanced skill set preferred)
• Experience with electrical schematics and connector selection
• Hands-on experience with harness fabrication or testing
• Ability to work independently and lead in fast-paced, cross-functional teams
• A demonstrated record of working hard, being trustworthy, holding yourself to high standards, and being kind to others

Preferred qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering Experience designing harnesses for automotive, UAV, or spacecraft
• Experience using EWIS design software (Zuken, Capital, etc)
• Expertise in GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and IPC/WHMA-A-620 standards
• Familiarity with EWIS compliance and RTCA DO-160 testing
• Proficiency in failure mode analysis (FMEA) and root cause investigations
• Knowledge of Teamcenter or similar PLM systems

$36 - $54 an hour

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Full-time regular employee offer package:

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:

Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. 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.