Electrical Harness Design Engineer
Location: Exeter, Rhode Island (Onsite)
Job Type: Direct Hire
Position Overview:
M Force Partners is seeking an experienced Electrical Harness Design Engineer to design and develop electrical wiring harnesses, cable assemblies, adapters, and vehicle connectivity solutions for automotive and powersports applications. This position will support products from initial concept through prototype development, validation, manufacturing, and production launch. The ideal Electrical Harness Design Engineer has hands-on experience designing wiring harnesses or cable assemblies and a strong understanding of electrical schematics, connectors, terminals, and vehicle electrical systems. This individual will work closely with Product Development, Quality, Sales, suppliers, manufacturing partners, and global engineering teams to develop new products and improve existing designs. The Electrical Harness Design Engineer will combine electrical design expertise with hands-on product development, testing, troubleshooting, and design-for-manufacturability principles to deliver reliable products for on-road and off-road vehicle applications.
Key Responsibilities:- Design electrical wiring harnesses, vehicle-specific harnesses, adapters, and cable assemblies using SolidWorks and/or Arcadia CADDevelop electrical harness products from initial concept through production
- Translate customer requirements and technical specifications into reliable, manufacturable electrical designs
- Develop and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and related technical documentation
- Select and specify appropriate connectors, terminals, wiring, and other electrical components
- Create detailed engineering drawings, bills of materials (BOMs), specifications, and manufacturing documentation
- Build and evaluate prototype harnesses for laboratory and field testing
- Support prototype and short-run production builds as needed
- Participate in Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA)
- Support Design Verification Testing (DVT), product validation, and troubleshooting activities
- Evaluate production samples to ensure designs meet engineering and quality requirements
- Support First Article Inspection (FAI) activities during new product introductions
- Collaborate with manufacturing teams and suppliers to improve harness manufacturability
- Apply Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles to product designs
- Identify opportunities to improve product performance, reliability, cost, and manufacturability
- Collaborate with global engineering teams to develop and improve harness design standards
- Design and maintain prototype, testing, and production workstations
- Provide technical guidance related to electrical harness design and vehicle connectivity
- Assist with installation manuals and other customer-facing technical documentation
- Provide technical troubleshooting support to internal teams and customers
- Support product launches and supplier-related engineering activities
- Participate in continuous improvement initiatives across engineering and product development
Required Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline, or equivalent relevant experience
- Professional experience designing electrical wiring harnesses, cable assemblies, or vehicle electrical systems
- Proficiency with SolidWorks and/or Arcadia CADStrong understanding of electrical schematics and wiring diagrams
- Knowledge of connectors, terminals, wiring, and related electrical components
- Experience creating engineering drawings, BOMs, specifications, and manufacturing documentation
- Experience supporting prototype development, testing, and product validation
- Knowledge of DFMEA and structured product development methodologies
- Understanding of automotive electrical design principles, standards, and industry practices
- Ability to troubleshoot electrical and electromechanical product issues
- Strong analytical and technical problem-solving skills
- Strong organizational and communication skills
- Ability to collaborate effectively with engineering, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and other cross-functional teams
- Ability to work onsite in Rhode Island
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally on an occasional basis
Preferred Qualifications:- Automotive or automotive aftermarket product development experience
- Powersports product development experience
- Vehicle lighting system experience
- On-road or off-road vehicle electrical system experienceElectrical harness manufacturing experience
- Arcadia harness design software experienceElectrical testing and validation experience
- First Article Inspection (FAI) experienceDesign Verification Testing (DVT) experienceDesign for Manufacturability (DFM) experience
- Product cost analysis experience
- Supplier collaboration and manufacturing launch experience
- Experience taking an electrical product from concept through production
Job presented by M Force PartnersM Force Partners is a specialized recruitment partner connecting top-tier talent with leading organizations. With a deep understanding of engineering/technical, medical, professional and executive disciplines and industry demands, we deliver tailored recruitment solutions, including direct hire and contract placements, to ensure the right fit for both candidates and clients.
If this role isn't the right fit for you, we encourage you to explore our other opportunities at mforcepartners.com.
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Equal Opportunity EmployerM Force Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
