Engineering Manager - Electrification

ND Defense; Madison Heights (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

ND Defense in Madison Heights, Michigan is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead its high voltage electrification team. This role involves overseeing the design and validation of electric powertrain systems and ensuring compliance with defense standards.

The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in high voltage systems and leadership experience. Key responsibilities include managing engineering teams and coordinating program execution while leveraging emerging technologies to optimize workflows.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in high voltage electrical systems design and development.
• Must have experience managing engineering teams through product lifecycles.
• Proficient in electrical design tools such as CATIA Electrical or Altium.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of high voltage systems for defense vehicles.
• Manage and mentor a team of engineers in electrification programs.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to deliver electrification solutions.

Skills

High voltage systems engineering

Leadership of multidisciplinary engineering teams

AI and agentic technologies

Electrical design tools (CATIA, Altium)

Problem-solving methodologies (8D, A3)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

CATIA Electrical

Zuken

Altium

Job description

The Engineering Manager — Electrification helps to establish and lead ND Defense’s high voltage electrification engineering team, driving the design, development, integration, and validation of electric powertrain systems, battery storage systems, and high voltage architectures for defense ground vehicles and Electric Ground Mobility (EGM) platforms. This role owns the technical direction for electrification programs from concept through production, ensuring designs meet stringent defense performance, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in high voltage systems engineering with proven leadership of multidisciplinary engineering teams. This is a hands‑on leadership role that requires the ability to lead technical executions, mentor and grow engineers, and a forward‑looking propensity to leverage AI and agentic technologies to optimize engineering workflows and program execution.

Essential Functions Technical Leadership

• Lead the design and development of high voltage electrical systems (400V–800V+ DC) for defense ground vehicle platforms, including battery systems, power distribution, motor drives, inverters, DC-DC converters, exportable power, and charging infrastructure.
• Define high voltage architecture, system schematics, wire harness routing, and component specifications in compliance with MIL-STD requirements and applicable SAE standards.
• Own the technical review process for electrification programs, including design reviews (PDR, CDR), DFMEA, and design validation test planning.
• Establish and enforce high voltage safety protocols aligned with SAE J1766, ISO 6469, MIL-STD-1275, MIL-STD-461 (EMI/EMC), and applicable NAVSEA or Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) requirements.
• Drive resolution of complex electrical integration challenges across mechanical, thermal, software, and vehicle systems engineering disciplines.

People Leadership

• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of electrical, systems, and integration engineers focused on electrification programs.
• Set clear performance expectations, conduct regular performance reviews, and build individual development plans aligned with organizational growth.
• Lead hiring efforts to build high voltage engineering capability, including identifying talent gaps and developing staffing plans.
• Foster a collaborative, high‑accountability engineering culture grounded in technical rigor and continuous improvement.

Program Execution

• Partner with program management to define scope, schedule, cost, and technical milestones for electrification programs.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams (mechanical, thermal, software, manufacturing, quality) to deliver integrated electrification solutions on time and within budget.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for customer engagements on electrification programs, including design presentations, technical interchange meetings, and proposal support.
• Support business development and capture efforts by contributing to technical proposals, white papers, and technology roadmaps for high voltage electrification capabilities.

Standards, Compliance, and Continuous Improvement

• Ensure all electrification designs comply with applicable military standards, customer specifications, and ND Defense’s AS9100‑based QMS.
• Stay current on emerging electrification technologies, battery chemistries, power electronics, and defense‑sector EGM trends (e.g., Army Modernization Priorities, GVSC electrification roadmap).
• Drive lessons‑learned processes and design standardization across electrification programs to improve reuse, reduce cost, and accelerate delivery.

AI & Process Optimization

• Identify and implement opportunities to apply AI and agentic technologies to streamline engineering processes, automate routine program management tasks, and improve decision‑making efficiency.
• Stay current on emerging AI tools and methodologies relevant to defense engineering and program execution, and champion their adoption where appropriate.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in high voltage electrical systems design and development, with at least 3 years in a technical leadership or engineering management role.
• Direct, hands‑on experience with high voltage powertrain architectures (400V–800V+ DC), including battery management systems (BMS), traction inverters, electric motors/generators, DC‑DC converters, and high voltage distribution.
• Working knowledge of relevant standards: MIL-STD-1275 (vehicle power characteristics), MIL-STD-461 (EMI/EMC), MIL-STD-810 (environmental), SAE J1772/J3068 (charging), ISO 6469 (EV safety).
• Experience managing engineering teams of 5+ through full product development lifecycles (concept through production).
• Proficiency with electrical design tools such as CATIA Electrical, Capital Harness, Zuken, Altium, or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of GD&T, DFMEA, DVP&R, and structured problem‑solving methodologies (8D, A3, root cause analysis).
• U.S. Citizenship required. Must be eligible for and able to obtain/maintain a DoD security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or Systems Engineering.
• Experience in defense ground vehicle programs (e.g., JLTV, AMPV, RCV, OMFV, or similar Army/Marine Corps vehicle platforms).
• Familiarity with Army GVSC electrification initiatives, Tactical Wheeled Vehicle (TWV) modernization, or TARDEC legacy programs.
• Experience with Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), SysML, or DOORS for requirements management.
• Active DoD Secret clearance.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license or relevant certifications (e.g., Certified Systems Engineering Professional).
• Experience with ITAR‑controlled programs and technical data handling.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• Office and engineering lab environment with occasional time on the manufacturing floor and at customer/test sites.
• Ability to work near high voltage equipment and in test environments with appropriate PPE and safety protocols.
• Travel up to 20%, including customer sites, test facilities, supplier locations, and ND Defense’s West Point, MS manufacturing facility.
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs occasionally.

ND Defense LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected class.

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position. ND Defense reserves the right to modify this description at any time. All duties are subject to reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities.