Electric Motor Design Engineer

Job Title: Electric Motor Design Engineer

Location: Kalamazoo, MI 49001

Duration: Direct Hire

Schedule: 1st Shift

Work Arrangement: Onsite

Nature of Job: Full-Time, Permanent

Pay Rate: $130,000–$160,000 per year

Job Type: Direct Hire

Domain: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electric Motor Design, Gear Design and Manufacturing

Deadline: 11/15/2026

Position Overview:

The Electric Motor Design Engineer will lead complex engineering projects involving electromagnetic design of AC and DC motors, product development, and process improvement. This role requires extensive experience in gear design and manufacturing to ensure optimal integration with product engineering and effective design for manufacturing and assembly. The engineer will lead technical projects, manage project schedules and costs, validate product performance, and collaborate with customers, management, and cross-functional teams.

Skills Required (Primary Secondary):

Primary Skills:

• Electromagnetic design of AC and DC motors
• Extensive gear design and manufacturing experience
• Mechanical and electrical engineering principles
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA)
• Engineering project leadership and technical project management
• Product design, development, and validation
• Continuous improvement principles and techniques

Secondary Skills:

• Solid-model CAD software
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and simulation software
• Engineering drawings, layouts, and schematics
• Project planning, scheduling, cost estimation, and resource allocation
• Manufacturing process development, tooling, and fixture design
• Data analysis and project management tools
• Technical documentation and reporting
• Customer communication and cross-functional collaboration

Major Job Responsibilities:

• Research and carry out complex engineering assignments involving the development of new or improved methods, techniques, and procedures, particularly related to electromagnetic design of AC and DC motors.
• Ensure timely and efficient completion of engineering projects to meet company cost, schedule, and customer service objectives.
• Lead technical projects involving the planning, organization, and development of new or improved products and processes.
• Develop project goals and objectives by reviewing proposals, project plans, and management requirements.
• Ensure projects meet schedules, cost targets, and technical expectations through effective project leadership.
• Communicate with customers to present project status and maintain confidence in the support of customer programs.
• Determine project specifications by reviewing product designs, customer requirements, performance expectations, and technical studies, and preparing cost estimates.
• Identify project phases, responsibilities, staffing, and resource requirements.
• Prepare project plans and schedules, monitor progress, coordinate activities, and resolve problems.
• Prepare project status reports and milestone updates for review within and between business units.
• Control project costs by reviewing nonrecurring costs, monitoring expenditures, and recommending corrective actions.
• Review design, specifications, plans, and schedule changes to maintain committed project milestones.
• Prepare and review technical work, including system schematics, layouts, sketches, algorithms, transfer functions, test plans, procedures, and reports.
• Apply advanced engineering principles and provide technical leadership to new program teams.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives within Design and Process Engineering and across other teams.
• Analyze data, conduct comparative assessments, and recommend changes to engineering methods and procedures.
• Verify product performance through similarity assessments, engineering analysis, and testing.
• Prepare or direct the preparation of product layouts, detailed drawings, and schematics using CAD systems and collaboration with designers, drafters, and engineers.
• Maintain engineering databases, project files, technical history, and related documentation.
• Prepare documentation for new manufacturing processes and engineering procedures, including reports on process information and trends.
• Develop tooling and fixtures for new products and processes and coordinate designs with tooling vendors.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge through training, technical publications, benchmarking, and industry best practices.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, industry regulations, engineering standards, and documentation practices.
• Advise management on major technical matters, establish project objectives, and identify mentoring and training needs.
• Train and mentor less experienced employees, share specialized knowledge, and represent the company on assigned projects.
• Contribute to cross-functional teams and continuous improvement activities to achieve organizational goals.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10 years of related engineering experience, demonstrating the ability to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Extensive experience in gear design and manufacturing.
• Comprehensive knowledge of engineering theories, principles, industry practices, concepts, techniques, regulations, and policies.
• Ability to integrate knowledge from related engineering disciplines into the assigned area of expertise.
• Ability to lead and implement continuous improvement principles and techniques.
• Ability to use standard business applications and specialized data analysis, design, and project management tools.
• Ability to analyze complex problems and evaluate multiple factors to develop effective solutions aligned with organizational objectives.
• Ability to establish goals and objectives for complex projects and provide status updates at key milestones.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in selecting engineering methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria within established practices and policies.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex policies and recommend procedural changes.
• Ability to respond to significant inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, and members of the business community.
• Ability to communicate effectively and deliver persuasive presentations on complex topics to senior management, customers, and boards of directors.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to demonstrate teamwork, participate in goal setting and performance feedback, and support self-development activities.

Preferred Skills:

• Working knowledge of solid-model CAD, FEA, and simulation software.
• Knowledge of DFM/DFA principles and their practical application.
• Experience with engineering project planning, cost control, technical documentation, and product testing.
• Experience developing manufacturing processes, tooling, and fixtures.
• Experience leading cross-functional engineering teams and mentoring technical employees.
• Strong customer-facing communication and stakeholder management skills.

Benefits:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Paid Sick Leave, where applicable
• Relocation assistance available

AI Usage Policy:

AI tools may assist with recruitment and candidate screening. Final hiring decisions are made by human recruiters and the hiring team.

EEOC Compliance:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination based on legally protected characteristics.