Project Lead Engineer - High Voltage Industrial and Data Centers

Methode Electronics Inc.; Southfield (MI); Presencial; USD 110.000 - 160.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) plan

Education assistance

Paid time off

Descripción de la vacante

Methode Electronics is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to lead the design, analysis, and validation of high-voltage power distribution components, including data center busbars and wire harnesses. You will drive cross-functional projects from concept through production, ensuring compliance with electrical, thermal, and mechanical requirements.

The role requires 5+ years in NPD for high-voltage systems, proficiency in Creo/SolidWorks/CATIA, and strong knowledge of GD&T and manufacturing processes.

Formación

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in mechanical design for high-voltage power distribution, data center infrastructure, or similar industries.
• Proficiency with advanced 3D CAD platforms (Creo/SolidWorks/CATIA).
• Knowledge of copper fabrication, extrusion, over-moulding, and assembly processes.

Responsabilidades

• Design and develop high-voltage components, data center busbars, and high-power wire harnesses using 3D CAD.
• Optimize vertical busbar architectures ensuring electrical, thermal, and structural performance.
• Collaborate with FEA analysts for thermal, CFD, and structural simulations to validate designs under load and fault conditions.
• Produce engineering drawings and documentation compliant with GD&T standards (ASME Y14.5, UL 857 / IEC 61439-6).
• Apply material science knowledge (copper/aluminum, coatings, insulation) across design, testing, and qualification.
• Lead cross-functional gates from concept to production release and align with cost/timeline/customer specs.

Conocimientos

5+ years experience

NPD experience

High-voltage design

3D CAD proficiency

Educación

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Electromechanical

Herramientas

Creo

SolidWorks

CATIA

PLM software

Descripción del empleo

About Methode Electronics We are a leading global provider of innovative automotive and industrial electronic products, including center stacks, switch banks, sensors, high-voltage busbars, Battery Disconnect Units (BDU), Integrated Circuit Boards (ICB), park brake actuators, ambient lights, and Center High-Mount Stop Lights (CHMSL). Our commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability positions us at the forefront of the industry, delivering high-performance power distribution solutions to customers worldwide.

Role Purpose

We are seeking a highly qualified Mechanical Engineer to play a crucial role in the Product Development lifecycle of innovative high-voltage power distribution components. This role owns the design, analysis, and validation of critical systems, with a core focus on data center busbars, industrial power pathways, and wire harnesses. Leading projects from concept to production launch, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams and industry experts to ensure designs meet rigorous electrical, thermal, structural, and manufacturing specifications.

Key Responsibilities

• Design & New Product Development (NPD): Specify, design, and develop high-voltage components, focusing on data center busbars and high-power wire harnesses. Utilize advanced 3D CAD software to generate detailed models, architectural layouts, and production-ready manufacturing drawings.
• Vertical Busbar Engineering & Attributes: Optimize vertical busbar architectures for critical data center infrastructure, ensuring precise execution of core attributes: Electrical & Thermal: Manage high current density, skin effect, voltage drop constraints and short-circuit current ratings. Mechanical & Structural: Design for seismic bracing requirements, structural loading, expansion joints (to handle thermal expansion/contraction across multi-story risers), and joint integrity. Ingress & Insulation: Incorporate proper phase isolation, epoxy coating, heat-shrink insulation, and appropriate Ingress Protection (IP) ratings.
• Analysis & Simulation: Collaborate with FEA analysts to define model setups, boundary conditions, and assumptions. Interpret and act upon results from thermal (CFD), fluid flow (Moldflow for over moulding), and structural mechanical (stress/strain/vibration) simulations to validate busbar integrity under maximum electrical load and fault conditions.
• Technical Documentation & Standards: Apply a comprehensive understanding of Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) to detailed component designs. Ensure all technical documentation, tolerance stacks, and engineering drawings strictly comply with industry standards (e.g., ASME Y14.5, ANSI, UL 857 / IEC 61439-6 for busbar trunking systems).
• Materials Expertise: Apply functional knowledge of material properties—including copper/aluminum conductivity, plating (tin, silver, nickel), insulation chemistry, and polymer selection—to component design, environmental testing, and qualification processes.
• Project Leadership: Lead cross-functional product development gates from concept through production release. Act as the primary technical point of contact, ensuring alignment between cost, timeline, tooling feasibility, and customer specifications.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience: 5+ years of mechanical design experience in New Product Development, specifically focusing on high-voltage power distribution, industrial busbars, or data center infrastructure.
• CAD/Tools: Proficiency in advanced 3D CAD platforms (e.g., Creo, SolidWorks, or CATIA) and PLM software.
• Industry Knowledge: Strong familiarity with copper fabrication, extrusion, over moulding, and manufacturing assembly processes.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Frequent hand motion and repetitive tasks including using a computer for typing. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will occasionally do immediate reaching and overhead reaching to perform various duties, frequent standing for varied amounts of time to perform various duties, frequent walking for varied amounts of time to perform various duties. Squat or bend to perform various duties. Occasionally climb stairs.

Benefits and Perks

• Methode offers U.S. employees comprehensive benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Hearing, Life and Disability insurance, educational assistance, and paid time off benefits.
• Voluntary benefit plans include Accident, Hospital Indemnity, and Pet Insurance coverage.
• Employees also have access to valuable discount programs that can contribute to lowering costs off certain technology, automotive, and home appliance products.
• In addition, Methode provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and participation in the Company’s 401(k) plan, which includes a company contribution.

Equal Opportunity

Methode Electronics is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics per the EEO Poster available here. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] or call [phone] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

About Methode Electronics

Methode Electronics is a leading developer of custom‑engineered and application‑specific products and solutions utilizing the latest technologies. From magnetic signature sensing of mechanical and electrical properties to the revolutionary solid‑state touch‑sensitive switches used in today’s appliances and automobiles, Methode's extensive toolbox of technical solutions help our customers differentiate their products. Our regional design and customer support centers, coupled with manufacturing campuses in the Americas, Europe, and Asia allow Methode to bring a total business solution to customers worldwide. We leverage the talents of our over 5,000 employees to serve a diversified group of customers in four market areas: User Interfaces, Sensor and Switches, Power and Data. Methode helps customers win in their end markets by providing an unmatched combination of customer focus, differentiated technology, problem solving and world‑class manufacturing.