Electrical Design Engineer at Southern States, LLC – Hampton, Georgia

Job Summary:

The Electrical Design Engineer I is an entry-level engineering role responsible for supporting the design, development, verification, and production of motor automation and switchgear systems. This position provides hands-on exposure to electrical system design, drafting standards, component selection, and compliance testing while working under the guidance of senior engineers.

He/She will apply engineering principles, drafting standards, and manufacturing best practices to support existing product lines and contribute to new product development, continuous improvement initiatives, and engineering change activities.

Essential Responsibilities:

1. Electrical Design & Documentation

• Develop and maintain electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and cabinet layouts for motor operator systems in accordance with company standards and applicable codes.
• Create and revise 2D/3D drawings and models using AutoCAD and SolidWorks for existing and new product designs.
• Generate and maintain engineering documentation, including specifications, Bills of Materials (BOMs), and revision-controlled drawings.
• Support engineering change activities, including design updates and documentation revisions.
• Support the development and refinement of printed circuit board (PCB) designs under the supervision of senior engineers.
• Assist with schematic capture, component placement reviews, and layout verification to ensure compliance with electrical, mechanical, and manufacturability requirements.
• Participate in PCB design reviews, providing input on component selection, signal routing considerations, grounding, and power distribution.

2. Engineering Support & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work under the guidance of senior engineers on assigned design and development projects.
• Provide technical support to manufacturing and field installation teams, including design clarification, troubleshooting, and implementation support.
• Assist with component selection and alternate sourcing, evaluating form-fit-function and updating documentation as required.

3. Prototyping, Testing & Validation

• Support the development of functional prototypes, samples, and demonstration units to validate design intent.
• Perform engineering verification and validation testing in the lab under supervision.
• Gain familiarity with ANSI, IEC and applicable industry standards and their application to product design and testing.
• Assist with verification and functional testing of new PCB designs, documenting results and observations.

4. Continuous Improvement & Product Optimization

• Participate in product usability, reliability, and value improvement initiatives through the Value Improvement (VIP) system.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of engineering processes, drafting standards, PCB design practices, and documentation workflows.
• Support continuous improvement efforts focused on manufacturability, quality, and lifecycle performance.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a closely related engineering field.
• Experience: 0–2 years of relevant engineering or technical experience (internships and co-ops acceptable).
• Ability to read, interpret, and develop electrical schematics and wiring diagrams.
• Demonstrated proficiency with AutoCAD for electrical drafting and documentation.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a team-based engineering environment.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and perform effectively in a fast-paced, manufacturing-oriented environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with SolidWorks and AutoCAD in an engineering or manufacturing environment.
• C, C++, Java is a plus.
• Working knowledge of electrical standards and codes, such as ANSI, UL, IEC, IEEE, or NEC (NFPA 70).
• Familiarity with PCB design fundamentals using tools such as Altium Designer, including schematic capture, layout concepts, and component libraries.
• Hands-on experience using electrical test equipment, such as multimeters and oscilloscopes.
• Exposure to industrial control systems, motor automation, switchgear, or panel design is desirable.