Electrical Engineer, Wire Harness & Electrical Integration

Allen Control Systems•Austin, TX

About The Position

Allen Control Systems (ACS) is a cutting-edge defense startup, founded by two former Navy electrical engineers with a proven track record in robotics and software. We are developing a small, autonomous gun turret that employs advanced computer vision and control systems to precisely target and neutralize small drones and loitering munitions. Our innovative approach requires overcoming significant technical challenges, making this an exciting and dynamic environment for experienced engineers. With an engineering-first culture, ACS values technical excellence and innovation. Backed by our founders' successful exits from two previous ventures acquired for a combined $180M in 2022, we are committed to ensuring that the groundbreaking technologies we develop will have a real-world impact. Position Overview: We are seeking a highly skilled Electrical Engineer with strong expertise in wire harness design, electrical integration, and system-level wiring architecture for complex electromechanical systems. The ideal candidate will play a critical role in designing and implementing robust wiring solutions that connect sensors, computer systems, power distribution, and actuators across our autonomous defense platforms. This engineer will work closely with electrical, firmware, and mechanical teams to ensure reliable signal and power distribution throughout the system while maintaining durability in demanding operational environments. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced prototyping environment and be comfortable owning electrical integration from early design through testing and deployment.

Requirements

Experience: 2–5+ years of experience in electrical engineering with hands-on experience designing wire harnesses, cable assemblies, or electrical interconnect systems.
Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in electrical engineering or a related field.
Wire Harness Design: Strong experience designing wiring harnesses for complex electromechanical or robotic systems.
Electrical Schematics and Documentation: Experience producing electrical drawings, harness documentation, wiring diagrams, and system-level electrical documentation.
Connector and Interconnect Knowledge: Familiarity with connector types, shielding strategies, grounding practices, and cable management techniques.
Electrical Integration Experience: Proven experience integrating sensors, computer hardware, power systems, and actuators in complex systems.
Testing and Troubleshooting: Hands-on experience diagnosing electrical integration issues using lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, and logic analyzers.
Electromechanical Systems Experience: Experience working with robotic, aerospace, automotive, or defense-related hardware systems.
High-Reliability Design Practices: Experience working with MIL-STD practices or other high-reliability manufacturing standards for wiring, harnessing, or electrical integration.

Nice To Haves

Harness Design Tools: Experience using harness and electrical design tools such as Zuken E3, Mentor Graphics/Capital Harness, RapidHarness, Altium, SolidWorks Electrical, or similar electrical CAD tools.
Robotics or Autonomous Systems Experience: Experience working on robotic platforms, autonomous systems, or defense hardware.
High-Reliability Systems: Familiarity with ruggedized systems designed for harsh operating environments.
Signal Integrity and Power Distribution: Knowledge of best practices for managing noise, grounding, shielding, and power distribution in complex systems.
Rapid Prototyping Environment: Experience working in fast-paced environments where hardware moves quickly from concept to field testing.

Responsibilities

Design and Develop Wire Harness Systems: Create detailed wiring architectures, harness designs, and cable assemblies that support complex robotic and electromechanical systems.
Electrical Integration: Support system-level integration across sensors, computing systems, actuators, and power electronics to ensure reliable communication and power delivery throughout the platform.
Harness Documentation and Schematics: Develop wiring diagrams, pinout documentation, harness drawings, and electrical schematics to support both prototype and production systems.
Connector and Cable Selection: Define appropriate connectors, shielding strategies, grounding methods, and cable routing solutions to meet performance and environmental requirements.
Electromechanical Collaboration: Work closely with mechanical engineers to optimize harness routing, packaging, strain relief, and mechanical protection within compact system architectures.
Prototype Bring-Up and Debugging: Assist with hardware bring-up, troubleshooting wiring issues, and diagnosing electrical problems during system integration and testing.
Manufacturing Support: Work with technicians and manufacturing teams to support harness builds, documentation, and quality verification of cable assemblies.
Testing and Validation: Perform testing and validation of electrical harnesses and integrated systems to ensure reliability in field and lab environments.