Electrical Project Engineer

Horstman Inc; Sterling Heights (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Horstman Inc., based in Michigan, is seeking an Electrical Project Engineer to lead design and development of electrical systems for military vehicle suspension programs. This role is ideal for a self-directed engineer who wants ownership of meaningful technical work in a regulated U.S.

defense contracting environment. Responsibilities include vehicle-level schematic design, wiring harness drawings, EBOM management, and collaboration with mechanical, systems, and software teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, or similar.
• Experience with electrical design tools and MIL-STD compliance.
• Strong ability to work across mechanical, systems, and software teams.

Responsibilities

• Design vehicle-level electrical schematics for active suspension systems.
• Create wiring harness drawings with splice details, connectors, routing, and protection strategies.
• Maintain EBOM in PLM/PDM with accuracy and revision control.
• Interface with suppliers for harness fabrication and component review.

Skills

Electrical design

Schematic design

Wiring harness design

EMI/EMC troubleshooting

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Capital

Zuken

Altium

SolidWorks Electrical

Job description

The Electrical Project Engineer performs design and development activities for electrical systems used in military vehicle suspension programs. This role is ideal for a skilled, self-directed engineer who is eager to take ownership of meaningful technical work, expand their capabilities, and grow toward more advanced responsibilities over time. The position requires strong initiative, independent problem solving, and the drive to excel in a regulated U.S. defense contracting environment.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Electrical Design & Development

• Perform vehicle level electrical schematic design for active suspension systems, including power distribution, signal routing, and controller interfaces.
• Create detailed wiring harness drawings including splice details, connector tables, routing paths, and protection strategies.
• Develop and maintain the Electrical Bill of Materials (EBOM) with emphasis on accuracy, configuration control, and revision management.
• Select electrical components such as wiring, connectors, terminals, and protection devices based on technical requirements and environmental conditions.
• Apply relevant MIL STD and MIL DTL specifications related to wiring, harness construction, EMC, environmental performance, and documentation.
• Ensure electrical designs meet shock, vibration, thermal exposure, ingress protection, and maintainability requirements common to military vehicle environments.
• Work closely with mechanical, systems, and software teams to integrate electrical designs into the overall vehicle architecture.
• Carry out hands on activities during prototype builds, harness routing, troubleshooting, system bring up, and validation testing.
• Maintain accurate electrical design documentation within configuration-controlled PLM/PDM systems.
• Interface with suppliers to review component suitability and support harness fabrication compliant with military standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with high voltage or low voltage motors used in actuation or suspension systems.
• Exposure to sensor integration including pressure, temperature, displacement, load, and inertial sensors.
• Familiarity with vehicle communication protocols (J1939, CAN FD, CANopen, and Ethernet variants).
• Strong ability to troubleshoot mixed signal systems involving ECUs, sensors, actuators, and communication networks.
• Understanding of basic control architectures and real time feedback concepts.
• Awareness of EMI/EMC considerations and common mitigation methods for military ground vehicles.
• Exposure to environmental qualification standards for electronic systems.
• Hands on involvement with prototype electrical builds or harness fabrication.
• Experience with electrical design tools (Capital, Zuken, Altium, SolidWorks Electrical).

A personal drive to take on increasingly complex responsibilities

Compliance, Safety & Regulatory

• Apply U.S. Department of Defense requirements, MIL STD practices, ITAR/EAR regulations, and company engineering processes.
• Participate in system safety reviews, hazard documentation, and mitigation tracking.
• Follow all U.S. health, safety, and export control regulations.
• Must be able to obtain a security clearance.

Education and Experience

Required:

• Bachelor's degree or greater in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, or similar

Experience Level

• Typically, 4 to 7 years of electrical engineering experience.
• Prior experience in defense, automotive, heavy equipment, or other regulated environments preferred.
• Candidates with strong independence, motivation, and potential to advance their career are encouraged to apply.

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