Electrical & Mechanical Product Designer in Adairsville, Georgia at EAE USA Inc

Position Summary

The Electrical & Mechanical Product Designer is responsible for supporting the design, development, documentation, manufacturing, and continuous improvement of electrical products and assemblies. This position combines mechanical design, electrical design, CAD modeling, manufacturing support, and technical problem-solving into a single role.

The designer will develop and maintain 3D models, mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, harness drawings, component drawings, assembly drawings, and manufacturing documentation for products including tap-off boxes, feeder boxes, control panels, electrical enclosures, test equipment, and related assemblies.

This individual will work closely with Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, suppliers, and other technical teams to ensure products are properly designed, documented, manufacturable, testable, and ready for production.

Key Responsibilities

Mechanical Design & 3D Modeling

• Create and maintain 3D CAD models for tap-off boxes, feeder boxes, control panels, electrical enclosures, components, brackets, mounting hardware, and related products.
• Develop detailed 2D manufacturing drawings from 3D models.
• Design and modify sheet-metal parts and assemblies, including bends, cutouts, mounting features, hardware locations, and component layouts.
• Develop product and enclosure layouts considering component clearances, wiring space, accessibility, assembly requirements, and serviceability.
• Apply appropriate dimensions, tolerances, materials, finishes, and manufacturing requirements to engineering drawings.
• Support design modifications required to resolve mechanical fit, interference, clearance, alignment, assembly, or manufacturing issues.
• Review designs for Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFMA).
• Support prototype development and evaluation before designs are released to production.
• Create models and drawings for fixtures, brackets, tooling, and other manufacturing-support items as required.

Electrical Design & Documentation

• Create and maintain electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and connection drawings.
• Develop drawings and documentation for:
  • Wire harnesses
  • Cable assemblies and whips
  • Electrical components
  • Control panels
  • Terminal connections
  • Breakers and fuse assemblies
  • Distribution components
  • Sensors and metering components
• Develop wire lists, cable schedules, connection tables, and related electrical documentation as required.
• Select and properly document electrical components, connectors, terminals, wire sizes, and related hardware under engineering direction.
• Ensure electrical and mechanical documentation accurately represents the intended product configuration and manufacturing requirements.
• Work with engineering to incorporate electrical design changes into product models and drawings.

Production & Manufacturing Support

• Provide technical support to manufacturing and assembly teams.
• Assist production personnel in interpreting engineering drawings, schematics, models, and work instructions.
• Translate engineering designs into practical manufacturing and assembly methods.
• Determine how components and assemblies should be positioned, mounted, routed, and assembled based on engineering drawings and product requirements.
• Identify and resolve electrical and mechanical issues discovered during production.
• Modify product models, drawings, or configurations when required to resolve manufacturing issues.
• Support first builds, pilot builds, prototypes, and new-product introductions.
• Help identify opportunities to improve product manufacturability, assembly time, quality, reliability, and cost.

Work Instructions & Technical Documentation

• Develop clear and detailed manufacturing work instructions for shop and production personnel.
• Create visual assembly instructions using CAD models, drawings, photographs, illustrations, and step-by-step instructions.
• Develop and maintain:
  • Assembly drawings
  • Installation drawings
  • Component drawings
  • Electrical schematics
  • Harness drawings
  • Manufacturing drawings
  • Work instructions
  • Inspection information
  • Product configuration documentation
  • Technical documentation
• Ensure documentation accurately reflects the current approved product design and manufacturing process.

Bills of Materials & Configuration Management

• Create and maintain accurate Bills of Materials (BOMs) for products and assemblies.
• Ensure CAD models, drawings, BOMs, schematics, and manufacturing instructions remain consistent with one another.
• Support product configuration and variant management.
• Assist with engineering changes, drawing revisions, and product configuration updates.
• Support Engineering Change Orders/Notices (ECO/ECN) and revision-control processes.
• Maintain organized engineering files and ensure current revisions are available to manufacturing and other departments.

Troubleshooting & Product Support

• Investigate electrical and mechanical problems involving new and existing products.
• Perform root-cause analysis and help develop corrective solutions.
• Evaluate problems involving:
  • Component fit
  • Mechanical interference
  • Wiring and routing
  • Component mounting
  • Assembly
  • Electrical connections
  • Product configuration
  • Manufacturing processes
• Recommend and document design improvements.
• Work with engineering and manufacturing teams to implement corrective actions.

Supplier Technical Support

• Collaborate with suppliers on fabricated sheet-metal parts, machined components, electrical components, harnesses, and other purchased items.
• Provide suppliers with appropriate drawings, models, specifications, and technical requirements.
• Review supplier drawings and technical submissions for conformance with engineering requirements.
• Participate in technical discussions with suppliers to resolve manufacturing, tolerance, fit, material, electrical, or quality issues.
• Support evaluation of supplier-proposed design or manufacturing changes.
• Assist Supply Chain and Quality teams with supplier-related technical issues.

Product Testing & Validation

• Assist with the assembly and testing of prototypes and production products.
• Support electrical and mechanical product testing.
• Assist with test fixtures, test stands, test setups, and prototype assemblies.
• Document test configurations, results, observations, and design changes.
• Work with engineering personnel to make design modifications based on test results.
• Support troubleshooting of failed or nonconforming products.
• Support product verification and validation activities associated with new or modified designs.

New Product Development

• Support engineering during development of new products from initial concept through production release.
• Create concept models and layouts to evaluate different design approaches.
• Support prototype builds and design reviews.
• Participate in cross-functional design reviews with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and other stakeholders.
• Help transition new designs from prototype to production.
• Identify potential manufacturing or assembly problems before product release.

Required Qualifications

• Technical degree, or equivalent experience in Mechanical Design, Electrical Design, Electromechanical Engineering Technology, CAD/Design Technology, Manufacturing Technology, or a related technical field.
• Experience supporting electrical and mechanical product design in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong proficiency with Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD, or comparable 2D/3D CAD software.
• Experience creating and modifying 3D models, assemblies, and detailed manufacturing drawings.
• Ability to create and interpret electrical schematics and wiring diagrams.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, BOMs, and technical documentation.
• Experience with sheet-metal design and fabrication principles.
• Working knowledge of electrical components, wiring, connectors, breakers, fuses, terminal blocks, and control-panel components.
• Understanding of mechanical tolerances, dimensions, materials, fasteners, and assembly methods.
• Experience developing manufacturing or assembly work instructions.
• Experience providing technical support in a production or manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing electrical enclosures, control panels, distribution equipment, or similar electrical products.
• Experience designing fabricated sheet-metal products.
• Familiarity with electrical manufacturing and assembly processes.
• Experience with wire harness and cable assembly design.
• Familiarity with UL, ETL, NEC, NFPA, or other applicable electrical standards and certification requirements.
• Experience with prototype development and new-product introduction.
• Experience creating and maintaining BOMs and product configurations.
• Familiarity with GD&T and engineering drawing standards is preferred.

Skills & Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong mechanical and electrical design aptitude
• Strong 2D and 3D visualization skills
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving ability
• Strong troubleshooting skills
• Ability to translate engineering concepts into manufacturable designs
• Ability to balance electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, cost, and assembly considerations
• Strong initiative and willingness to take ownership of technical problems
• Self-starter mentality with the ability to work with limited supervision
• Strong work ethic and sense of urgency
• Good organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
• Ability to communicate effectively with engineers, technicians, production personnel, suppliers, and management
• Willingness to work hands-on with prototypes and production products
• Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional manufacturing environment
• Willingness to learn new products, technologies, manufacturing processes, and design tools