Electrical Architect - GM Defense

General Motors; Warren (MI); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

GM Defense is seeking a Vehicle Electrical Architect to define vehicle-level power and signal distribution architectures. The role spans requirements, partitioning functions, and delivering architectures that meet performance, reliability, cost, manufacturability, and timing goals.

The incumbent will collaborate across GM Defense, GM, and partners in propulsion, interiors, exteriors, and software to resolve complex issues and guide architecture decisions.

Qualifications

• BS in engineering (Electrical, Mechanical or related).
• 5+ years in electrical systems or vehicle electrical engineering.
• Experience releasing electrical components, distribution designs, schematics, or harnesses.
• Ability to analyze and resolve complex technical problems and drive issues to closure.
• Ability to work with cross-functional Product Development teams and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Define vehicle electrical requirements, partitions, and subsystem allocations.
• Develop energy-management strategies across generation, storage, distribution, and loads.
• Design power and ground distribution including battery centers and pre-fuse strategies.
• Select wire gauges and circuit protection using standards and analysis.
• Create and review schematics, harness netlists, and program deliverables.
• Use CAE tools to identify deficiencies and drive corrective action.
• Lead or support FMEAs, design reviews, and issue resolution.
• Provide requirements for sourcing and supplier reviews.
• Resolve interfaces and design conflicts with cross-functional teams.
• Communicate risks and recommendations to leadership; mentor engineers.

Skills

Electrical systems

Vehicle electrical engineering

Design release

Harnesses

Power distribution

Embedded systems

Cross-functional collaboration

FMEAs

Schematic reviews

Netlists

Education

BS in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Capital Logic

Schematic tools

Netlist review tools

Job description

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 About GM

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