Automotive Connector Design Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Lead Wiring Harness Design Engineer

Job Description

The Lead Wiring Harness Design Engineer designs, develops, and releases complete high-voltage and low-voltage wiring harness systems for high-volume manufactured products. This role owns the full product lifecycle for harness design, from concept and schematics through 3D routing, prototyping, validation, and supplier coordination, while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and supporting cross-functional teams in a Lean development environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and release complete high-voltage and low-voltage wiring harness systems, including wire and cable gauge sizing, connector selection, terminal and crimp definitions, complex harness routing, and manufacturing considerations.
• Create and maintain logical wiring diagrams and schematics, detailed 2D harness manufacturing drawings, bills of materials (BOMs), and related engineering specifications.
• Complete and maintain the GEA wiring harness checklist to ensure design quality and compliance.
• Drive and guide the CAD team on 3D harness routing, packaging, clearance optimization, and thermal and vibration strain relief within a 3D CAD environment.
• Build and/or support prototype harness builds to validate feasibility, manufacturability, serviceability, and assembly methods.
• Coordinate harness fabrication with external suppliers, including defining and reviewing quality plans and managing first-piece qualification activities.
• Ensure wiring harnesses, connectors, and related components comply with UL requirements and other applicable regulatory standards.
• Drive connector and harness standardization across product lines to improve quality, reduce cost, and increase design reuse.
• Own FRACAS (Failure Reporting, Analysis, and Corrective Action System) investigations for wiring harness failures during design verification, reliability testing, and early field returns, and drive closure with robust corrective actions.
• Apply Six Sigma and reliability engineering methods to validate designs, identify root causes, and implement durable, data-driven solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering and operations teams within a Lean product development process to ensure designs meet performance, cost, and manufacturability targets.
• Partner closely with Controls and Electrical Engineering teams to support product-level EMI/EMC testing, troubleshoot issues, and implement design changes as needed.
• Lead and contribute to DFMEAs (Design Failure Modes and Effects Analyses) for wiring harness systems to proactively identify and mitigate risk.
• Plan and manage wiring harness design activities and deliverables as part of broader project plans, ensuring milestones and deadlines are met.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related engineering field.
• Minimum of 7 years of engineering design experience on high-volume manufactured products.
• At least 5 years of dedicated experience designing wiring harnesses, including connector and terminal selection, wire insulation and derating calculations, and supplier qualification.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience using Creo Schematic or a similar electrical CAD tool for wiring harness design.
• Proven experience leading DFMEAs for complex electro-mechanical systems.
• Demonstrated project planning experience, including scheduling, prioritizing tasks, and coordinating with cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a hands-on approach to troubleshooting and validation.
• Experience ensuring designs meet regulatory requirements such as UL, FCC, or CE.
• Technical expertise in wiring harness design, wiring schematics, cable assembly, and electronics.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with CAD teams, controls engineers, and operations personnel in a Lean product development environment.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with high-voltage and low-voltage wire harnesses and harness design for multiple product lines.
• Familiarity with FRACAS processes and tools for failure reporting, analysis, and corrective action.
• Exposure to Six Sigma and reliability engineering methodologies applied to product design and validation.
• Experience supporting EMI/EMC testing and resolving related design issues at the product level.
• Design for manufacturability, serviceability, and assembly for wiring harnesses and cable assemblies.
• Some 3D CAD experience is beneficial, though the role primarily collaborates closely with a dedicated CAD team.
• Comfort working across the full product lifecycle, from concept and requirements through design, test, launch, and continuous improvement.

Work Environment

The role is based in a facility focused on laundry and electronic controls products, within a building dedicated to these product lines. The engineer works closely with a CAD team, controls and electrical engineers, operations, and external suppliers as part of a Lean product development process. The environment supports multiple product lines and full product lifecycle activities, from design and prototyping to validation and production. Work is primarily performed in an engineering office and lab setting with regular interaction with manufacturing and test areas, using tools such as electrical CAD (e.g., Creo Schematic), 3D CAD platforms, and standard engineering and test equipment.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Louisville, KY.

The pay range for this position is $110000.00 - $140000.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Louisville,KY.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 22, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.