Cable Harness Design Engineer Jobs in California

The Harness Design Engineer will play a key role in developing next‑generation energy storage systems by owning the design and integration of electrical harnesses across complex electro‑mechanical assemblies. This position is ideal for an experienced engineer who excels in 3D CAD routing, collaborates effectively with cross‑functional teams, and proactively drives design decisions in a fast‑paced, highly collaborative environment.

• Create 3D harness routing models using CAD tools, with a primary focus on the SolidWorks Harness Routing Module.
• Develop 2D harness layout drawings using appropriate electrical design and drafting tools.
• Design mounting strategies, routing paths, and interface points throughout the energy storage system to ensure robust integration and serviceability.
• Create simple mechanical parts such as brackets, clamps, strain‑relief features, and other installation hardware required for harness implementation.
• Generate and maintain detailed documentation, including connector and terminal specifications, harness drawings and schematics, bills of materials (BOM), installation drawings, and cable and harness construction details.
• Maintain and update component libraries for harness and electrical design as needed, ensuring accuracy and consistency across projects.
• Collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, test, and systems engineering teams to ensure harness designs integrate seamlessly across the full battery pack system.
• Drive and participate in design reviews, clearly presenting harness concepts, resolving interface challenges, and incorporating feedback from cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Identify design gaps and integration risks early, proactively engaging relevant team members to align on solutions and drive design progression.
• Take end‑to‑end ownership of harness routing and mechanical integration tasks with minimal oversight, ensuring designs meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements.
• Communicate design intent and changes effectively through clear verbal updates, written documentation, and visual design artifacts.

• At least 6+ years of hands‑on harness design experience in electro‑mechanical systems.
• Strong proficiency in SolidWorks, particularly the Harness Routing Module for 3D routing and harness modeling.
• Deep understanding of mechanical integration principles, including packaging, routing constraints, and interface management in complex assemblies.
• Proven experience designing brackets, routing supports, clamps, and other simple mechanical components that support harness installation.
• Ability to develop and interpret electrical schematics and harness drawings for system‑level integration.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present designs clearly to engineering stakeholders and cross‑functional partners.
• Autonomous and proactive working style, capable of driving work forward independently and taking ownership of deliverables.
• Strong electrical‑focused harness engineering expertise across electro‑mechanical systems.

• Experience with PCBA design and system‑level electrical schematics.
• Background in PCB layout and electrical design for complex systems.
• Familiarity with maintaining and updating component libraries for harness and electrical design.
• Experience working closely with electrical engineers on harness design for PCBA and system‑level integration.
• Comfort working in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment such as a rapidly scaling startup.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across mechanical, electrical, test, and systems engineering disciplines.

This role is based in a highly collaborative engineering environment with multiple stakeholders across disciplines, focused on developing advanced energy storage systems. Full‑time onsite work at a Bay Area location is ideal, with onsite presence strongly preferred to support close collaboration and hands‑on integration work. Flexible arrangements, including hybrid or remote options, may be considered for strong candidates, with the expectation of periodic onsite visits for design reviews, integration activities, and team collaboration. The work involves extensive use of SolidWorks and other CAD and electrical design tools, as well as regular interaction with mechanical, electrical, test, and systems engineering teams in a fast‑paced, startup‑like culture.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Berkeley, CA.

The pay range for this position is $90.00 - $97.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Berkeley,CA.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 21, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

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