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Motor Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

As an EDS Design Engineer, you will be at the forefront of defining the "nervous system" for our ... Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United ...

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United ... design, engineering, and program milestones are met. * 3D Design & Integration: Develop vehicle ...

Senior Motor Dyno Engineer

South San Francisco, CA · On-site

$125K - $172K/yr

About You and the Role Zipline is looking for a Senior Motor Dyno Engineer to design, build, commission, and own electric-motor dynamometer systems used across motor development, supplier quality ...

Mechanical Design Engineer

Long Beach, CA · On-site

$79K - $108K/yr

The Mechanical Design Engineer will be responsible for the mechanical design and development of a ... Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United ...

Mechanical Design Engineer

Long Beach, CA · On-site

$82K - $112K/yr

The Mechanical Design Engineer will be responsible for the mechanical design and development of a ... Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United ...

... motor, gearbox, inverter, and thermo-lubrication systems. * Have direct design ownership over ... Support engineering prototype builds and design validation testing. Minimum Education Requirement:

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Sacramento, CA · On-site

$98K - $135K/yr

The Senior Mechanical Design Engineer is responsible for the design and development of rotating ... Design rotating machinery, including electric motors, motor-related components, and higher-level ...

Senior Motor Dyno Engineer

San Francisco, CA

$123K - $169K/yr

We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical ... About You and the Role Zipline is looking for a Senior Motor Dyno Engineer to design, build ...

Showing results 41-60

Motor Design Engineer information

See California salary details

$17

$50

$72

How much do motor design engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average hourly pay for motor design engineer in California is $50.03, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $38.65 and $60.96 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a motor design engineer do?

A Motor Design Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and testing electric motors used in various applications such as automotive, industrial machinery, appliances, and more. They work with teams to create efficient, reliable, and cost-effective motor solutions by using specialized software and engineering principles. Their tasks often include selecting materials, optimizing motor performance, and ensuring that designs meet safety and regulatory standards. Additionally, they may collaborate with manufacturing teams to troubleshoot and improve production processes.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a motor design engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Motor Design Engineer, you need a solid background in electrical or mechanical engineering, with expertise in electromagnetics, motor theory, and CAD-based design, typically supported by a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with simulation tools such as ANSYS Maxwell, MATLAB/Simulink, and experience with prototyping and testing equipment are highly valuable. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication help you collaborate with cross-functional teams and address complex design challenges. These skills and qualities are crucial for creating efficient, innovative motor solutions that meet performance, safety, and cost requirements.

What are some common challenges motor design engineers face when balancing performance requirements with cost constraints?

Motor Design Engineers often encounter the challenge of optimizing motor performance while adhering to strict cost and manufacturability limits. This involves selecting appropriate materials, designing for efficiency, and ensuring the final product meets safety and regulatory standards. Collaborating closely with manufacturing, procurement, and quality assurance teams is key to finding innovative solutions that balance technical specifications with budgetary constraints. Successfully navigating these trade-offs is essential for delivering a competitive and reliable motor product.

What is the difference between Motor Design Engineer vs Electrical Design Engineer?

AspectMotor Design EngineerElectrical Design Engineer
Primary FocusDesigning and developing electric motors and related componentsDesigning electrical systems, circuits, and components for various applications
Required SkillsElectromechanical knowledge, motor theory, CAD tools for motor designElectrical circuit design, simulation, and system integration
Work EnvironmentR&D labs, manufacturing facilities, automotive or industrial sectorsElectronics firms, automation, power systems, and industrial sectors

Motor Design Engineers focus on creating and optimizing electric motors, while Electrical Design Engineers work on broader electrical systems and circuits. Both roles require electrical knowledge but differ in their specific applications and design scope.

What are popular job titles related to Motor Design Engineer jobs in California?

For Motor Design Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Motor Design Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 83% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $104,055 per year, or $50 per hour.

Full-time

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Re-posted 5 days ago


Ford Motor Company rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 527 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

11th of 45 rated automakers


Job description

As an EDS Design Engineer, you will be at the forefront of defining the "nervous system" for our next-generation electric vehicles. You will be responsible for the end-to-end vehicle-side electrical wire harness design and physical integration, serving as the critical link between architectural theory and vehicle reality. In this role, you will help realize the vision of a Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) by optimizing the intersection of electrical connectivity, hardware placement, and mechanical packaging.

While your primary focus is the robust physical design and routing of the harness, you will work deeply within the electrical architecture to ensure the system is efficient, manufacturable, and capable of supporting advanced vehicle functions. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive innovation and remain hands-on during vehicle "bring-up" phases to troubleshoot and validate your designs. What you'll do..

Full Lifecycle Ownership: Own harness families from initial concept through production launch, ensuring all design, engineering, and program milestones are met. 3D Design & Integration: Develop vehicle harness designs in 3D CAD, collaborating with cross-functional teams to find innovative routing solutions while optimizing mass, cost, and packaging efficiency. Technical Problem Solving: Drive resolution for critical technical issues including EMI, thermal protection, mechanical strain, mechanical cycling (durability), and environmental sealing.

Design Integrity & Validation: Ensure harness robustness through rigorous packaging reviews and the development and execution of Design Verification Plans and Reports (DVP&R). Component & Complexity Strategy: Define harness protection, retention, and complexity management strategies (variant handling) while collaborating on updating new components into the EDS library. Manufacturing & Launch Support: Support vehicle and Tier I assembly lines during development phases to resolve build issues, confirm change implementation, and ensure on-time delivery.

Documentation & Supplier Liaison: Develop and review 2D manufacturing drawings, schematics, and device transmittals to ensure suppliers have accurate data for harness production. Innovation & Research: Conduct research to identify and implement the latest trends in wiring technology, such as automated manufacturing, high-speed data transmission, and advanced materials. You'll have..

B.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, Electromechanical or Mechatronics Engineering. 5+ years of experience designing and developing EDS Designs in an automotive or similar industry (e.g., Aerospace, Medical Device, Robotics)

Experience using 2D & 3D EDS Tooling (e.g., NX, Mentor Capital, 3DX, CATIA V5, Zuken, etc.). Proven experience in a mass-production environment, taking a product from initial concept through Job 1/SOP launch. Even better, you may have..

Technical Depth: Strong Electrical Engineering fundamentals and a systems-level approach to design and development. Hands-on Experience: Proven track record of building and launching automotive products, vehicle prototyping, and instrumentation of prototype vehicles in a controlled lab environment. EDS Component Design: Experience designing EDS components such as brackets and retention/protection hardware in plastic and sheet metal, including familiarity with associated manufacturing processes (e.g., injection molding, stamping) and design-for-manufacturability considerations

LV/HV Connection Systems: Familiarity with connector system selection, seals, and terminal retention mechanisms. Analytical Trade-offs: Experience deriving cost, manufacturability, reliability, and failure modes (DFMEA) trade-offs based on specific designs. Tools & Collaboration: Familiarity with Confluence and Jira for task management in a fast-paced, iterative development cycle.

Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills with an eagerness to work cross-functionally in a high-performing, dynamic environment. Agile Mindset: A desire and curiosity to strive for exceptional delivery execution and continuous improvement. You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply.

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home. Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills.

Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder...or all of the above. No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including: Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases Tuition assistance Established and active employee resource groups Paid time off for individual and team community service A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's Day Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time. This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $138,800-$232,700

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value. For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR Visa sponsorship is available for this position. Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States

Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status.

In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660. This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week.

#LI-Hybrid #LI-SE1 #UEV


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