Wire Harness Manufacturing Engineer

This role focuses on designing, developing, and supporting electrical wire harnesses from initial concept through procurement and testing. You will create detailed schematics and layouts in AutoCAD, support fabrication and assembly, and lead testing and validation activities to ensure power distribution, signal routing, and cable management meet stringent functional, performance, and reliability requirements. You will work across the full product lifecycle in a highly collaborative, hands-on environment, helping introduce new products and technologies while contributing to cutting-edge autonomous vessel systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop electrical harnesses, including power distribution, signal routing, and cable management, to meet functional, performance, and reliability requirements.
• Create detailed electrical schematics, layouts, and design tools using AutoCAD to support harness design and documentation.
• Own the wiring process from design through procurement, ensuring accurate bills of materials and manufacturable harness designs.
• Support the fabrication and assembly of electrical harnesses, providing guidance on build methods and best practices.
• Assemble and assist with assembly of electrical harnesses using wire stripping, crimping, soldering, and harness bundling techniques when needed.
• Develop and execute build and testing procedures for wire harnesses to validate performance and reliability.
• Handle testing and validation of electrical harnesses, including troubleshooting issues that arise during the test phase.
• Collaborate closely with other engineering and cross-functional teams to define requirements, review designs, and resolve integration issues.
• Define, document, and describe processes related to harness design, build, testing, and introduction of new products and technologies.
• Work hands-on on the production floor to help resolve harness-related issues and support the introduction of new products and technologies.
• Contribute as a founding engineer by helping shape design standards, processes, and best practices for the growing engineering team.
• Participate in continuous improvement efforts to enhance harness reliability, manufacturability, and test efficiency.

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in electrical engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
• 2+ years of experience in wire harness design and development.
• Proven experience with build and testing procedures for wire harnesses.
• Hands-on experience with electrical harness assembly methods, including wire stripping, crimping, soldering, and harness bundling.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD for creating electrical schematics, harness layouts, and design documentation.
• Ability to manage the full lifecycle of harness work, from design through procurement and support on the production floor.
• Strong troubleshooting skills for diagnosing and resolving issues discovered during harness testing and validation.
• Effective cross-functional collaboration skills and the ability to work closely with multiple departments.
• Clear communication skills with the ability to define, describe, and document engineering and production processes.

• Electrical engineering degree is strongly preferred and considered ideal for this role.
• Familiarity with IPC/WHMA-A-620 standards for cable and wire harness assemblies.
• Experience working in a startup or fast-paced engineering environment.
• Comfort working as a founding or early engineer on a team, helping to establish standards and processes.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a personable demeanor to support heavy collaboration across teams.
• Interest in or experience with autonomous systems, marine systems, or defense-related technologies.
• Motivation to work on complete product lifecycles rather than a narrow portion of the design.

This is a fully onsite role, working five days per week in a hands-on engineering and production environment. Two shift options are available (first and second shift), with the expectation that new hires remain on second shift for at least the first year. The workplace has a startup vibe with a strong sense of ownership and pride in the work, and there are periods of deadline-focused activity where staying late may be necessary. Some weekend work may be required, but it is not frequent, and the culture emphasizes passion and investment in the mission rather than an unsustainable grind. You will work closely with a tight-knit team on the production floor and in the lab, using tools such as AutoCAD and common electrical assembly and test equipment. The organization invests heavily in employee well-being and fulfillment, including daily catered lunches and coverage of dinner when employees work late. Team members enjoy significant opportunities for upward mobility, equity potential upon direct hire, and exposure to the full lifecycle of innovative autonomous vessel technology in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Austin, TX.

The pay range for this position is $48.00 - $58.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Austin,TX.

This position is anticipated to close on May 8, 2026.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:

• Hiring diverse talent
• Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
• Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
• Ensuring growth opportunities for our people

Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we’ve helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC—with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.

Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.