Staff Engineer, Mechanical - Harness Design (R4594)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and 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

Shield AI is seeking a Staff Harness Design Engineer with deep expertise in harness design to support the development of our next-generation autonomous UAV platform. In this high-ownership role, you will lead the architecture, design, and development of precision wire harnesses and cable assemblies that are critical to mission success.

What you'll do

• Lead design of wire harnesses and cable assemblies for autonomous UAVs
• Own harness design process: concept, 3D CAD routing, analysis, and drawing release
• Perform electrical and environmental analysis for harness reliability
• Prototype and test harnesses in dynamic, mission-critical environments
• Collaborate with avionics, systems, and manufacturing teams for integration
• Mentor engineers and drive harness design best practices

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering
• 8+ years in wire harness design for aerospace or robotics
• Strong CAD skills (NX or CATIA preferred) for 3D harness modeling
• Experience using EWIS design software (Zuken, Capital, etc)
• Expertise in GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and IPC/WHMA-A-620 standards
• 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
• Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience designing harnesses for UAVs, aircraft, or spacecraft
• 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