Department: Engineering / Research & Development (R&D)
Job Title: Electrical Design Engineer – Automotive
Reports To: Engineering Manager / R&D Manager
Work Location: Al Kharj, Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia
Industry: Automotive, Military Vehicles, Vehicle Armoring and Industrial Manufacturing
1. Job Purpose
To design, develop, integrate, and validate electrical and electronic systems for commercial, military, and specialized vehicles, including armored vehicles. The role involves preparing electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, harness designs, power distribution layouts, and technical documentation to ensure reliable vehicle electrical performance, compliance with applicable standards, and seamless integration with mechanical and electronic systems.
2. Key Responsibilities
Electrical Design and Development
• Design and develop vehicle electrical systems, including power distribution, wiring harnesses, lighting, control circuits, and auxiliary electrical equipment.
• Prepare electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, connection layouts, cable routing drawings, and installation drawings.
• Design electrical interfaces for vehicle chassis, body structures, control panels, and specialized equipment.
• Select suitable electrical components, connectors, cables, fuses, relays, switches, and circuit protection devices.
• Calculate electrical loads, voltage drops, cable sizes, and power requirements.
• Develop electrical solutions for armored vehicles, military platforms, and specialized vehicle applications.
• Design and integrate electrical systems for auxiliary equipment, communication devices, surveillance systems, and other mission-related equipment, where required.
Electrical System Integration
• Coordinate electrical design activities with mechanical, electronic, systems, and production engineering teams.
• Ensure proper integration of electrical components with vehicle structures, mechanical assemblies, and control systems.
• Support the integration of batteries, alternators, power supplies, lighting systems, sensors, actuators, and control units.
• Review electrical interfaces and installation requirements to ensure accessibility, serviceability, and operational reliability.
• Support the integration of vehicle electronic systems, CAN bus networks, and other vehicle communication interfaces where applicable.
Testing and Troubleshooting
• Develop and support electrical inspection, testing, and validation procedures.
• Conduct or support continuity tests, insulation checks, voltage measurements, load testing, and functional verification.
• Investigate electrical failures and identify root causes of wiring, power distribution, and component-related issues.
• Provide technical support during prototype development, vehicle assembly, commissioning, and final testing.
• Recommend corrective actions and design improvements to enhance reliability, safety, and maintainability.
Manufacturing and Production Support
• Provide technical guidance to electricians, technicians, and production teams during vehicle wiring and electrical installation.
• Review wiring harnesses and electrical installations against approved drawings and specifications.
• Prepare Bills of Materials (BOMs), cable schedules, component lists, and electrical installation instructions.
• Resolve production-related electrical design issues and implement approved engineering changes.
• Coordinate with procurement to specify electrical components and verify technical compliance.
Quality, Compliance, and Documentation
• Ensure electrical designs comply with applicable automotive standards, project specifications, and customer requirements.
• Apply relevant electrical safety principles, circuit protection requirements, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) considerations.
• Maintain accurate electrical drawings, technical records, revision histories, and design documentation.
• Participate in design reviews, risk assessments, quality investigations, and corrective action activities.
• Follow company procedures for engineering change management, document control, and defense-sector confidentiality.
3. Qualifications and Experience
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Typically 3–7 years of relevant experience in automotive electrical design, vehicle systems integration, or industrial electrical engineering.
• Experience in vehicle wiring harnesses, electrical schematics, power distribution, and electrical component selection.
• Experience in commercial vehicles, military vehicles, specialized vehicles, or vehicle manufacturing is preferred.
• Knowledge of armored vehicle electrical systems or defense-sector equipment integration is an advantage.
• Candidates with strong practical automotive electrical experience and relevant engineering qualifications may also be considered.
4. Technical Skills
• Proficiency in electrical design tools such as AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, Capital, or equivalent applications.
• Ability to prepare and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, cable schedules, and harness drawings.
• Knowledge of automotive electrical systems, DC power distribution, batteries, alternators, grounding, and circuit protection.
• Understanding of electrical load calculations, cable sizing, voltage drop, and connector selection.
• Familiarity with vehicle communication protocols, including CAN bus, is desirable.
• Knowledge of automotive electrical standards, including relevant ISO and SAE requirements, is an advantage.
• Familiarity with EMC principles, electrical fault diagnosis, and validation testing.
• Ability to prepare technical specifications, BOMs, test reports, and engineering documentation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
5. Core Competencies
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Attention to detail and technical accuracy.
• Effective communication and cross-functional coordination.
• Practical understanding of vehicle electrical installation and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to manage multiple engineering tasks and meet project deadlines.
• Commitment to quality, electrical safety, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams.
6. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Accuracy and completeness of electrical drawings and wiring documentation.
• Timely completion of electrical design deliverables and project milestones.
• Reduction in electrical installation errors, wiring defects, and production rework.
• Successful integration and functional validation of vehicle electrical systems.
• Compliance with approved project specifications and applicable standards.
• Effectiveness in resolving electrical design and troubleshooting issues.
• Accuracy and timely updating of BOMs,
