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Wire Harness Engineer II

Motiv Power Systems

Motiv Power Systems

Hamtramck, MI, USA
USD 90k-115k / year
Posted on May 2, 2025

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Motiv is a leading manufacturer of medium duty, zero-emission electric trucks and buses. Motiv produces a range of vehicles; including step vans, shuttle buses, box trucks and work trucks, all of which eliminate tailpipe CO2 emissions and particulate matter, while offering drivers and passengers a more comfortable, healthier and safer ride. Motiv’s combination of operational cost savings and environmental performance helps customers meet increasingly stringent emissions and pollution standards as well as achieve their own Net-Zero, ESG or other climate impact-related pledges and commitments.

Motiv is seeking an experienced Wire Harness Engineer to design automotive grade wire harnesses and coordinate with work with engineering teams and harness suppliers to obtain high quality harness materials. In this role, you will be responsible for leading the design of wire harness and electrical distribution systems across functional teams as required to meet program milestones and required tasks. Our ideal candidate must have a high degree of technical competence, written and verbal communication skills, and be comfortable working independently or collaboratively in order to design and develop prototypes. Other responsibilities will include but not limited to work with design engineers to troubleshoot, document, and put explicit plans into action on our assembly lines and test configurations.

At Motiv, we have taken a radically different approach to building electric trucks. We have developed a line of all-electric medium-duty truck and bus chassis, our EPIC platform, which is used in several truck and bus applications. Our next-generation power management electronics and software make it easy to integrate new technology components into new vehicles and applications. Our core values are deep passion, curiosity, collaboration, customer focus and “owning it.” As with all roles at Motiv, your alignment with these values will be critical to your success here. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the following satisfactorily and other duties may be assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

  • None

Duties/Responsibilities:

  • Design and Development: Responsible for the design and development of hardware systems, including but not limited to the routing and retention of harnesses, cables, and connectors, ensuring ease of assembly, serviceability, and robust functionality under various environmental conditions.
  • Troubleshooting and Issue Resolution: Hands-on experience in diagnosing and resolving complex technical issues, including water ingress concerns, wire routing discrepancies, and other hardware-related challenges.
  • Bill of Materials (BOM) & Specifications Development: Develop and maintain Bill of Materials (BOM), Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) standards, and material specifications, ensuring alignment with design requirements and manufacturability.
  • CAD Creation and Management: Create and manage 3D models, assemblies, and 2D drawings using SolidWorks and CATIA for the following:
    • Battery mounting structures and associated components
    • Driveline structures and components
    • Power electronics structures, enclosures, and integration
    • High and low voltage harnesses, cables, and connectors
  • BOM Management and Alignment: Ensure BOM accuracy, performing regular reviews to maintain alignment between CAD data and BOM, driving consistency throughout the design process.
  • Establishment of Drafting Standards: Define and implement consistent drafting standards, CAD modeling techniques, and dimensioning practices to ensure high-quality design documentation.
  • OEM and Supplier Collaboration: Interface with OEMs and suppliers to facilitate CAD data transfer, ensuring compatibility and alignment with project specifications.
  • Design Reviews & Technical Support: Actively participate in design reviews, providing technical guidance and support to ensure that designs meet performance, manufacturability, and quality standards.
  • Development of Test Methods & Validation: Develop technical specifications, design rules, test methods, validation strategies, and acceptance criteria to ensure designs meet performance and safety standards.
  • Issue Resolution and On-Site Support: Lead the resolution of design, manufacturing, and supplier quality issues, providing on-site build support when required to ensure timely and accurate implementation.
  • System Integration & Interface: Design and develop technical requirements for interfacing systems, ensuring seamless communication between various subsystems within the broader system architecture.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work cross-functionally with other teams, including engineering, manufacturing, and quality, to drive program delivery and meet project milestones.
  • Field Issue Resolution & Lessons Learned: Address field issues and incorporate lessons learned into the upstream design process, ensuring continuous improvement and higher product reliability.
  • Advocacy for Engineering Discipline: Serve as a strong advocate for rigorous engineering discipline throughout the organization, promoting best practices in design, testing, and validation.
  • Vendor and Partner Collaboration: Collaborate with current and potential vendors and partners to evaluate and integrate new components into the powertrain system, ensuring compatibility with Motiv’s systems.
  • Next-Generation Technology Development: Contribute to the development of next-generation ideas and state-of-the-art technologies within the heavy-duty electric vehicle industry, focusing on performance, sustainability, and innovation.

Required Skills/Abilities:

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
  • Proactive and independent with the ability to take initiative
  • Flexible to work in Factory environment on the floor to inspect /Troubleshoot
  • Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision while producing high quality output in timely manner
  • Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment
  • High level of accuracy; ability to work with tight schedules and ambiguity in startup environment
  • Proficient with CATIA Electrical
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software

Education and Experience:

  • 4-year Engineering degree and 2+ years of relevant experience or equivalent
  • Knowledge of high voltage electrical systems
  • 2-3 years of experience in CATIA Electrical Schematic Package
  • Model development and simulation tools
  • Wiring harness designs
  • Knowledge of high voltage electrical systems
  • Experience with Bill of Material and Change Management Systems
  • Strong knowledge of automotive product development systems and design disciplines
  • Excellent written & oral communication skills – ability to present to wider audiences

Physical Requirements:

  • Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
  • Flexibility to work in Factory environments, wearing PPE
  • Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times

Salary Range:

  • $90,000.00-$115,000.00 (Salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education and training.)

This position is based in Novi/Hamtramck, Michigan.

Candidates only please; no recruiters.

Benefits & Perks

  • Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA, Health & Dependent Care FSA, 401(k), Basic Life and AD&D, Voluntary Life and AD&D, EAP (Employee Assistance Program), Education Reimbursement, and more!
  • Generous PTO policy and 11 Paid Company Holidays.
  • Online, on-demand Training & Development Programs.
  • Bicycle friendly, with bike storage available to all Foster City employees with a 5 minute walk to the scenic Bay Front.
  • Regular Happy Hours, Company Cultural Events, and more!