Senior Harness Engineer

Location: Playa Vista, California, United States

Department: Avionics

Who We Are:

Inversion builds advanced reentry systems to deliver next-generation capabilities from space.
 
Our mission is to make Earth radically more accessible by turning Low-Earth Orbit into an on-demand logistics domain. We see space not as a destination, but as a platform — one that unlocks unprecedented speed and global reach.
 
Our spacecraft are designed to deliver payloads anywhere on Earth in under an hour, operating through extreme reentry conditions and landing with high precision. These systems open the door to new ways of testing, delivering, and operating at hypersonic speeds.
 
Inherently dual-use, our technology is built to meet urgent national security needs while laying the groundwork for future commercial applications. Backed by leading investors including Y Combinator, Spark Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures, and working with partners such as the U.S. Space Force and NASA, Inversion is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in space-based defense and logistics.

What You'll Do 

As a Senior Harness Engineer at Inversion, you will report directly to the Manager of Arc Vehicle Avionics. In this role, you will own the end-to-end design, 3D routing, documentation, and physical integration of all electrical wire harnesses for the Arc hypersonic reentry vehicle. You will bridge the gap between electrical schematics and physical vehicle structures, solving complex packaging, thermal protection, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) challenges. Operating with high autonomy, you will establish harness manufacturing standards, mentor junior engineers, and work directly with integration technicians to build and route flight-ready hardware. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Own the 3D harness routing and mechanical packaging of the entire Arc vehicle electrical distribution system using CAD. 
• Generate 2D harness manufacturing drawings, schematics, flat patterns, nailboard layouts, and bill of materials (BOM). 
• Select wire types, shielding, connectors, backshells, and over-braid materials to survive extreme aerospace environments (high vibration, vacuum, thermal, and plasma). 
• Conduct trade studies on shielding, grounding, and wire sizing to ensure proper power delivery, signal integrity, and EMI/EMC compliance. 
• Author detailed harness fabrication procedures, routing checklists, and electrical inspection plans (continuity, isolation, and dielectric testing). 
• Provide hands-on floor support during harness manufacturing, vehicle-level routing, and pin-out operations. 
• Mentor junior engineers and support technician training on aerospace-grade wire-crimping, shielding termination, and soldering techniques. 

Required Qualifications 

• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent technical experience. 
• Typically 5+ years of hands-on experience in 3D CAD electrical harness routing and design for complex aerospace vehicles. 
• Proficiency in CAD software (Siemens NX or equivalent) with specialized routing modules. 
• Deep understanding of wire harness design principles, including component selection, wire sizing, shielding, grounding, and routing clearances. 
• Direct experience generating production-ready 2D harness drawings with detailed standard dimensions and notes. 
• Hands-on harness build experience. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 

Desired Qualifications 

• Familiarity with aerospace harnessing and soldering standards. 
• Experience designing harnesses for extreme thermal gradients, vacuum outgassing, and high-vibration rocket or reentry environments. 
• Familiarity with harness electrical analysis tools, schematic capture tools, and database management systems. 
• Prior experience in a fast-paced aerospace startup or small hardware integration team. 

Our office headquarters is located in Playa Vista, CA. This position requires in office presence.

The California annual base salary for this role is currently $137,000 - $193,000. Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job-related skills, relevant education and experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity.