Senior Spacecraft Harness Design Lead Engineer - 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!

About TeraWave

This role is part of TeraWave, a satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. TeraWave consists of 5,408 optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for tens of thousands of enterprise, data center, and government users who require reliable connectivity for critical operations.

Special Mentions

As the Harness Design Lead, you will be the technical authority for all spacecraft harnessing decisions and will lead a team of 5-7 harness design engineers through the full design-to-production lifecycle. You will define the harness architecture, establish design standards, and drive the team to deliver drawings on schedule to support first launch in late 2027.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Team Leadership:

• Lead and mentor a team of 6-8 harness design engineers
• Facilitate daily standups and weekly design reviews
• Assign and prioritize work packages across the team
• Track schedule milestones and report progress
• Conduct technical interviews for harness design candidates
• Establish team processes and design review gate

Architecture & Standards:

• Define the harness architecture for the TeraWave satellite constellation
• Establish harness design standards and naming conventions
• Own the harness-level Interface Control Documents (ICDs) with all subsystem teams
• Drive harness design-for-manufacturability decisions at the architecture level
• Lead harness mass budget allocation and tracking

Cross-Subsystem Coordination:

• Serve as the primary technical interface between the harness team and all subsystem leads (EPS, C&DH, GNC, propulsion, solar array, RF payload, optical payload, thermal)
• Coordinate with Systems Engineering on harness-related requirements and verification
• Represent the harness team in program-level design reviews

Technical Design & Analysis:

• Develop and maintain harness Bundle Interconnect Diagrams (BIDs) and Wire Interconnect Diagrams (WIDs) for all spacecraft subsystems
• Create detailed harness assembly drawings, installation drawings, and connector pin assignment documentation
• Perform harness analysis including voltage drop calculations, current derating analysis, and mass estimation
• Conduct 3D harness routing and clearance verification using spacecraft CAD models
• Define harness segregation requirements for power, signal, and RF interfaces to ensure EMI/EMC compliance
• Specify connector types, wire gauges, shielding requirements, and termination methods for all harness branches
• Support harness design reviews and coordinate resolution of design issues with cross-functional teams

Manufacturing & Integration Support:

• Collaborate with manufacturing engineering to ensure harness designs are optimized for production
• Support harness fabrication shops during build activities including first article reviews and nonconformance disposition
• Participate in spacecraft integration and test activities to verify harness installation and functionality
• Develop harness installation procedures and work instructions for integration teams
• Support troubleshooting of harness-related issues during spacecraft assembly and test

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field
• 10+ years of experience in spacecraft, satellite, or automotive harness design, cable routing, or electrical integration
• 3+ years of experience leading or managing a harness design team
• Demonstrated experience defining harness architecture for complex spacecraft or satellite programs
• Extensive experience producing and reviewing harness assembly drawings, BIDs, WIDs, and connector pin assignments
• Proficiency with electrical harness CAD tools (Creo Cabling / Routed Systems, Zuken, Capital Harness, or equivalent)
• Deep knowledge of harness fabrication standards
• Strong understanding of EMI/EMC principles as applied to harness segregation, shielding, and grounding
• Expert knowledge of connector systems used in space applications (Micro-D, Nano-D, D-sub, circular MIL-DTL-38999, MIL-DTL-83513, etc.)
• Proven ability to coordinate across multiple engineering disciplines and manage competing priorities
• Experience with harness design-for-manufacturability in production environments

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience standing up a harness design team from scratch - defining processes, tools, and standards
• Direct experience designing harnesses for satellite constellations or high-rate production environments
• Experience with Creo Cabling / Routed Systems and Windchill PLM for harness configuration management
• Experience with high-voltage (>50V) spacecraft power harness design including Paschen discharge and corona considerations
• Background in harness-level signal integrity analysis for high-speed data interfaces (Ethernet, SpaceWire, LVDS)
• Experience with harness weight optimization techniques for mass-constrained spacecraft
• Experience supporting harness fabrication shops - reviewing first articles, dispositioning nonconformances, and developing rework procedures
• Familiarity with automotive/EV harness design practices and high-rate production techniques

Compensation Range for:

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

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.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S.as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blue's Standard Background Check

• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation

• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing (CDL drivers only), vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.

• Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical

Benefits

• Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.

• Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

• Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated work force. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws. For more information on "Know Your Rights," please see here.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin's Affirmative Action Plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and/or interview process, please contact us atEEOCompliance@blueorigin.com. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Please do not include any personal medical information in your request.