Lead Harness Engineer

Job Title: Lead Harness Engineer

Location: Fremont, California, United States

Job Type: Full-Time | On-Site

About the Job:

We are seeking an experienced Lead Harness Engineer to own the design, development, validation, and release of vehicle wire harness systems for advanced electric vehicle platforms. This role requires strong electrical engineering expertise combined with the ability to collaborate closely with mechanical, systems, manufacturing, and supplier teams to develop reliable, production-ready harness solutions.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in automotive electrical systems, harness architecture, connector selection, schematic development, and vehicle integration. This position will play a critical role in translating electrical architecture into manufacturable harness designs capable of performing in demanding operating environments.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead end-to-end wire harness design from concept through production release.

Develop schematics, harness drawings, wire lists, splice diagrams, connector face views, and manufacturing documentation.

Utilize Zuken E3.series for schematic capture, harness engineering, and wire/connector database management.

Define wire gauges, insulation requirements, terminal specifications, and connector sealing strategies for both low-voltage and high-voltage applications.

Review and contribute to 3D harness routing using CATIA, ensuring proper packaging, bend radii, clearance, and serviceability.

Collaborate with mechanical engineering teams on routing paths, clips, brackets, grounding locations, and packaging constraints.

Apply automotive harness design standards and best practices to ensure quality, durability, and reliability.

Conduct DFMEA activities and support design reviews to identify and mitigate potential failure modes.

Select and standardize connectors, terminals, and electrical components across vehicle systems.

Work closely with manufacturing teams and suppliers to support Design for Manufacturing (DFM), process validation, and production readiness.

Support vehicle bring-up, integration testing, troubleshooting, continuity testing, insulation resistance testing, and fault diagnosis.

Maintain harness Bills of Materials (BOMs) and support engineering change processes (ECOs).

Participate in prototype builds, validation activities, and field issue investigations.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.

6+ years of experience in automotive or vehicle electrical engineering with direct ownership of harness design and release.

Strong proficiency with Zuken E3.series for schematic development and harness engineering.

Working knowledge of CATIA V5 or 3DEXPERIENCE (3DX) for harness routing and design collaboration.

Deep understanding of wire and cable selection, including ampacity, voltage drop, insulation ratings, shielding, and bundling techniques.

Expertise with automotive connectors, terminals, crimping technologies, and sealing systems.

Experience designing both low-voltage (12V/48V) and high-voltage vehicle electrical systems.

Strong understanding of grounding architectures, EMC/EMI mitigation, and shielding practices.

Knowledge of harness manufacturing processes, including formboard assembly, wire preparation, ultrasonic splicing, and protective coverings.

Familiarity with industry standards such as USCAR, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and OEM harness specifications.

Ability to create and interpret complete harness documentation packages.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience designing high-voltage harnesses for electric or electrified vehicles.

Familiarity with CATIA Electrical Harness Design (EHD) workbench and harness flattening processes.

Experience working directly with harness suppliers on tooling qualification, process control, and first-article inspections.

Knowledge of vehicle communication networks, including CAN, LIN, and Ethernet architectures.

Experience with trailer or recreational vehicle electrical systems and connector interfaces.

Understanding of diagnostic architectures, OTA update systems, and related wiring requirements.

Experience working in fast-paced startup or advanced product development environments.

Key Skills:

Automotive Electrical Systems

Wire Harness Design & Release

Zuken E3.series

CATIA V5 / 3DX

High Voltage (HV) & Low Voltage (LV) Systems

Connector & Terminal Engineering

EMC / EMI Design

DFMEA

Electrical Architecture

Manufacturing & DFM

Vehicle Integration & Validation

CAN, LIN, Ethernet Networks

BOM & ECO Management

Troubleshooting & Root Cause Analysis

Benefits:

Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage

401(k) Program

Paid Time Off

Professional Growth Opportunities

Collaborative Engineering Environment