Electrical Systems Lead for Defense Vehicles

GM Defense; Warren (MI); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

GM Defense seeks an Electrical System Engineer to define and integrate electrical architectures for government programs and special projects. You will translate requirements into vehicle-level electrical designs, topologies, and interfaces, coordinating with multiple domains to deliver robust, compliant solutions for defense platforms.

The role emphasizes HV systems, wiring, COTS/SOTA evaluation, and collaboration with product owners and program management.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical/Mechanical/Systems Engineering or related discipline.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in electrical systems, vehicle electrical engineering, controls, harnesses, power distribution, embedded systems, or a related field.
• Experience with high-voltage and/or electrified vehicle systems, including power distribution, interfaces, cables, protection, grounding, and safety.
• Experience developing or reviewing electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, interface documents, or system block diagrams.
• Working knowledge of vehicle communications and networked systems, such as CAN, CAN-FD, LIN, or Ethernet.
• Strong problem-solving, technical writing, presentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Electrical circuit board experience (Breadboarding, robotics, Arduino, etc. [Design/troubleshooting])
• Deep understanding of Alternating Current (AC) theory and principles (Power Factor, Rectifiers, Inverters, etc.)
• Advanced/execution-level DRE, VSE, and/or architecture experience, with a thorough understanding of manufacturing processes.
• Extensive level of analytical ability where problems are unusual, difficult or complex.
• Ability to work as needed 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).

Responsibilities

• Lead electrical architecture definition for new and derivative defense vehicle platforms.
• Translate government, customer, mission, and vehicle requirements into electrical system requirements, architecture decisions, and interface definitions.
• Define vehicle-level electrical topologies, power distribution, network architecture, system boundaries, and low-voltage power-management concepts.
• Architect and integrate high-voltage systems, including batteries, power conversion, propulsion interfaces, high-voltage cables, contactors, service disconnects, grounding, shielding, and safety features.
• Define interfaces among ECUs, sensors, actuators, power electronics, controllers, displays, communication networks, and mission equipment.
• Define low-voltage power distribution, circuit protection, wake-up and shutdown behavior, grounding, connector strategy, and electrical load-management concepts.
• Develop and review schematics, wiring concepts, interface control documents, netlists, block diagrams, and architecture specifications.
• Evaluate commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and custom technologies, balancing technical performance, mission suitability, supply risk, integration complexity, cost, and schedule.
• Develop and review schematics, wiring concepts, interface control documents, netlists, block diagrams, and architecture specifications.
• Identify and resolve cross-functional electrical issues, including interface conflicts, power-quality concerns, electromagnetic compatibility risks, network limitations, thermal constraints, and packaging conflicts.
• Ensure architecture decisions support applicable automotive, defense, functional-safety, cybersecurity, electromagnetic compatibility, and export-control requirements.
• Support proposals, statements of work, technical volumes, compliance matrices, and customer presentations while providing technical leadership to engineers and suppliers.
• Ensure designs meet applicable automotive, defense, functional-safety, cybersecurity, EMI/EMC, export-control, and ITAR requirements, support component packaging and design studies.

Skills

Electrical systems

High-voltage EVs

Requirements analysis

CAN/CAN-FD/LIN/Ethernet

Cross-functional collaboration

Schematics & wiring

Problem solving

DRE/VSE/architecture

Travel and work at Milford

Education

BS in Electrical/Mechanical/Systems Engineering

Tools

INCA

Vspy

Simulink

Job description

GM Defense seeks an Electrical System Engineer to define and integrate electrical architectures for government programs and special projects. You will translate requirements into vehicle-level electrical designs, topologies, and interfaces, coordinating with multiple domains to deliver robust, compliant solutions for defense platforms.

The role emphasizes HV systems, wiring, COTS/SOTA evaluation, and collaboration with product owners and program management.