Electrical Architect - GM Defense

General Motors LLC; United States; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

GM Defense is seeking a Vehicle Electrical Architect to define vehicle-level power and signal architectures, establish requirements, and partition electrical functions. You will collaborate across GM Defense, GM, and partners to resolve issues, drive design decisions, and ensure timely, robust architecture Deliverables.

The role involves leading technical reviews, mentoring engineers, and shaping energy-management strategies, with travel and hybrid work as part of the program.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering required in Electrical/Mechanical or related field.
• 5+ years in electrical systems, vehicle electrical engineering, or related areas.

Responsibilities

• Define vehicle electrical requirements and subsystems.
• Develop energy-management strategies across power generation, storage, and loads.
• Design power and ground distribution incl. battery centers and pre-fuse strategies.
• Select wire gauges and protection per standards.
• Create and review schematics, harness netlists, and program deliverables.
• Use CAE tools to identify issues and drive corrective action.
• Lead or support FMEAs, design reviews, and issue resolution.
• Provide input for sourcing and supplier reviews.
• Resolve interfaces with Design Release Engineers and cross-functional teams.
• Ensure architecture deliverables are complete and aligned with milestones.
• Communicate risks and recommendations to leadership and stakeholders.
• Mentor engineers and improve electrical architecture methods.

Skills

Electrical power systems

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Design reviews

Leadership/mentoring

Education

B.S. in Electrical/Mechanical Eng

Tools

Capital Logic

Schematic/Harness tools

Job description

About GM Defense

GM Defense delivers integrated vehicles, power and propulsion, autonomous systems, and connectivity solutions to defense, security, and government customers worldwide. We combine GM’s engineering and manufacturing strength with the mission focus and speed required by defense programs.

The Role

The Vehicle Electrical Architect is a senior engineering role responsible for defining vehicle-level power and signal distribution architectures. This includes establishing requirements, partitioning electrical functions, developing concepts, and ensuring designs meet performance, customer, reliability, packaging, cost, manufacturability, and timing objectives.

Working across GM Defense, GM, and with partners in propulsion, interiors, exteriors, chassis, body/armor, software, and vehicle systems, the architect resolves complex technical issues, exercises independent judgment, and influences decisions across organizational boundaries.

What You’ll Do

• Define vehicle electrical requirements, functional partitions, and subsystem allocations.
• Develop energy-management strategies across power generation, storage, distribution, and loads.
• Design power and ground distribution, including battery electrical centers, pre-fuse strategies, and related components.
• Select wire gauges and circuit protection using engineering requirements, standards, and analysis.
• Create and review mechanizations, schematics, harness netlists, and other program deliverables.
• Use engineering analysis and CAE tools to identify deficiencies and drive corrective action.
• Lead or support FMEAs, design and technical reviews, and issue resolution.
• Provide technical requirements and input for sourcing and supplier reviews.
• Resolve interfaces, dependencies, and design conflicts with Design Release Engineers and cross-functional teams.
• Ensure architecture deliverables are complete, technically sound, and aligned with program milestones.
• Communicate technical risks, trade-offs, decisions, and recommendations to leadership and stakeholders.
• Mentor engineers and improve electrical architecture methods, tools, standards, and documentation.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Electrical, Mechanical, or a related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in electrical systems, vehicle electrical engineering, design release, controls, harnesses, power distribution, embedded systems, or a related field.
• Professional experience in automotive electrical engineering, vehicle electrical systems, power or signal distribution, or a related field.
• Experience releasing electrical components, distribution designs, schematics, harnesses, or related engineering content.
• Proven ability to independently analyze and resolve complex technical problems and drive issues to closure.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional Product Development teams, engineering suppliers and leading vehicle-level electrical architecture decisions.
• Knowledge of vehicle power and signal distribution, battery electrical centers, pre-fuse systems, circuit protection, wire sizing, and energy management.
• Experience with Capital Logic or similar electrical design, schematic, or harness engineering tools.
• Experience leading technical reviews, supplier discussions, FMEAs, and issue-resolution teams.
• Working knowledge of engineering software, architecture standards, design guidelines, net lists, release processes, and change management.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work periodically at the Milford Proving Grounds, travel as required and legally operate a motor vehicle.

Candidate must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee, or refugee).

Preferred Qualifications

• MS in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering
• DFSS Black Belt Certification
• Experience with developing electrical device logical modeling
• Experience with EMI mitigation to meet EMC requirements

GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc).

This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}.

The selected candidate will be required to travel <25% for this role.

This job is not eligible for relocation benefits. Any relocation costs would be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

This position requires the ability to legally operate a motor vehicle on a regular basis and successfully complete a Motor Vehicle Report review.

The position is subject to export control restrictions and requires the successful candidate to be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee).

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