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Wire Harness Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Actalent

Harness Design Engineer

Berkeley, CA

$90 - $97/hr

Harness Design Engineer 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 ...

Astrolab

Sr. Harness Engineer

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

$169K - $187K/yr

As a Harness Design Engineer, you'll own the design and execution of flight, GSE, and test ... Experience troubleshooting wire harness issues and supporting design solutions through root cause ...

Astrolab

Sr. Harness Engineer

Hawthorne, CA

$106K - $145K/yr

As a Harness Design Engineer, you'll own the design and execution of flight, GSE, and test ... Experience troubleshooting wire harness issues and supporting design solutions through root cause ...

Astranis

Senior Harness Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$126K - $164K/yr

Senior Harness Design Engineer As a Senior Harness Design Engineer at Astranis, you will own the design of the wire harnesses that keep our spacecraft alive on orbit, translating electrical ...

Pentangle Tech

harness design engineer1

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

Harness Design Engineer Location: Sunnyvale, CA Duration: Long Term Client : Applied Intuition - * We are seeking a contractor to lead the design, build, validation, and scale of spider harnesses ...

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All JobsWire Harness Design Engineer JobsWire Harness Design Engineer Jobs in California

Wire Harness Design Engineer information

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$10

$49

$77

How much do wire harness design engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average hourly pay for wire harness design engineer in California is $49.31, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $40.34 and $56.44 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a wire harness design engineer?

A wire harness design engineer works to design harnesses to protect electrical wiring and cable in airplanes, cars, and other devices that rely on electrical power. In this career, your duties focus on designing harnesses that allow the electrical distribution system to bring energy safely to the outlet where the mechanisms, product, airplane, or vehicle needs it. Your responsibilities involve using your electrical engineering skills to analyze the electrical needs for the project, calculate current requirements, and incorporate this data into your harness design.

What does a wire harness design engineer do?

A Wire Harness Design Engineer is responsible for designing and developing wire harnesses used to connect electrical and electronic components in vehicles, machinery, or equipment. Their work involves creating detailed wiring diagrams, selecting appropriate materials, ensuring compliance with industry standards, and collaborating with manufacturing teams to optimize production. They also perform testing and troubleshooting to ensure the harnesses meet safety and functional requirements. This role is crucial in industries like automotive, aerospace, and industrial equipment where reliable electrical connections are essential.

What is the difference between Wire Harness Design Engineer vs Electrical Engineer?

AspectWire Harness Design EngineerElectrical Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires a degree in electrical or mechanical engineering, certifications like IPC/WHMA-A-620 are commonRequires a degree in electrical engineering; professional licensure (PE) may be preferred
Work EnvironmentDesigning and testing wiring harnesses in manufacturing or automotive settingsDesigning electrical systems, circuit analysis, and testing in various industries
Industry UsageAutomotive, aerospace, industrial equipmentElectronics, power systems, telecommunications

While both roles involve electrical knowledge, the Wire Harness Design Engineer specializes in creating wiring assemblies for specific products, whereas the Electrical Engineer focuses on broader electrical system design and analysis. The roles often overlap in skills and certifications but differ in scope and application.

What are some common challenges a wire harness design engineer faces when coordinating with manufacturing teams?

Wire Harness Design Engineers often encounter challenges related to ensuring that their designs are manufacturable and meet production timelines. Translating complex electrical schematics into practical, assembly-ready harnesses requires close collaboration with manufacturing teams to address issues such as routing constraints, component availability, and assembly ergonomics. Open communication is key to resolving discrepancies between design intent and production feasibility, and engineers frequently participate in design reviews or on-site walkthroughs to ensure smooth implementation. Being proactive in soliciting feedback and making iterative improvements helps minimize costly rework and keeps projects on schedule.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a wire harness design engineer?

To thrive as a Wire Harness Design Engineer, you need a solid background in electrical or mechanical engineering, knowledge of wiring standards, and experience with harness design principles, often backed by a relevant degree. Proficiency with CAD software (such as AutoCAD Electrical or CATIA), harness design tools, and familiarity with industry regulations (like IPC/WHMA-A-620) are commonly required. Strong attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and effective communication are essential soft skills for collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and ensuring design accuracy. These competencies are crucial for delivering safe, reliable, and cost-effective wiring solutions in industries like automotive and aerospace.
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Wire Harness Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Wire Harness Design Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $102,573 per year, or $49.3 per hour.

Sr Wire Harness Design Engineer

Relativity Space

Long Beach, CA

$132K - $198K/yr

Full-time

Posted 7 days ago

Relativity Space rating

9.7

Company rating: 9.7 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

2nd of 72 rated aerospace companies

Job description

At Relativity Space, we're building rockets to serve today's needs and tomorrow's breakthroughs. Our Terran R vehicle will deliver customer payloads to orbit, meeting the growing demand for launch capacity. But that's just the start. Achieving commercial success with Terran R will unlock new opportunities to advance science, exploration, and innovation, pioneering progress that reaches beyond the known.

Joining Relativity means becoming part of something where autonomy, ownership, and impact exist at every level. Here, you're not just executing tasks; you're solving problems that haven't been solved before, helping develop a rocket, a factory, and a business from the ground up. Whether you're in propulsion, manufacturing, software, avionics, or a corporate function, you'll collaborate across teams, shape decisions, and see your work come to life in record time. Relativity is a place where creativity and technical rigor go hand in hand, and your voice will help define the stories we're writing together. Now is a unique moment in time where it's early enough to leave your mark on the product, the process, and the culture, but far enough along that Terran R is tangible and picking up momentum. The most meaningful work of your career is waiting. Join us.

About the Team:

The Avionics team is responsible for the full lifecycle of Terran R's nervous system, designing, building, testing, installing, and operating the hardware that connects and controls every major electrical system on the vehicle and ground. The team leverages close partnership between avionics design, manufacturing, and test to enable rapid iteration and feedback loops. Engineers are deeply embedded into other functions within Relativity, working closely with propulsion, GNC, fluids, and stage engineering teams to ensure seamless integration and operation. Now is a unique time to join: you'll get to help shape Terran R's fundamental avionics architecture and be given a high degree of ownership on components that will fly.

About the Role:

  • Own the design, routing, and integration of electrical wire harnessing within the Terran R Avionics System from conception to qualification and production, including connectors, cable, and supports
  • Collaborate across various disciplines including structures, electrical hardware, propulsion, and software to optimize system-level avionics design through architecture trades and requirements definition
  • Utilize 3D modeling, 2D drafting, and electrical design packages to deliver detailed designs with considerations for production and test
  • Validate designs for flight through rapid prototyping and test campaigns
  • Support vehicle-level integration activities by defining avionics systems integration operations, checkouts, and test plans

About You:

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
  • 5+ years of experience in a full lifecycle design engineering role
  • Experience with electrical harness design and mechanical routing in 3D CAD software
  • Experience with the integration and test of complex, multi-disciplinary electrical systems

Nice to haves but not required:

  • Proficiency with NX CAD and Teamcenter
  • Experience with Zuken E3 electrical design software
  • Experience with scripting and software development to support hardware bring-up activities (e.g. Python, LabView, C/C++)
  • Experience developing electrical and mechanical test fixtures, tools, and production harnessing
  • Experience working with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL or HITL) test systems

At Relativity Space, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our compensation practices. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.
Compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, a generous PTO and sick leave policy, parental leave, an annual learning and development stipend, and more! To see some of the benefits & perks we offer, please visit here.

Hiring Range:
$132,000—$198,000 USD

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at accommodations@relativityspace.com.

Please note: Relativity Space does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or referrals from recruitment agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited submission - via email, our website, social media, or directly to an employee - will be deemed the property of Relativity Space, and no fee will be owed absent a current, fully executed agreement with Talent Acquisition that specifically authorizes submissions for the applicable role.

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