Electrical Design Engineer Jobs in South Carolina
Electrical design engineer jobs in South Carolina are concentrated in the Charleston, Greenville, and Columbia metros, where aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and defense industries drive consistent demand for engineers with power systems, controls, and PCB design expertise. Established employers including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Michelin maintain significant engineering workforces in the state, hiring across junior, mid-level, and senior roles. The market is particularly active in low-voltage systems, industrial automation, and embedded systems design. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Senior Electrical Design Engineer
Department: Engineering
Reports To: Electrical Department Head
Direct Reports: Electrical Design Engineer I
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: Summerville, SC
Industry: Marine / Boat Manufacturing
Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced Senior Electrical Design Engineer to lead the design, documentation, validation, and production support of electrical systems across our boat lineup.
This position owns the electrical architecture of new and existing models, from early concept and component selection through harness release, production launch, and continuous improvement. The Senior Electrical Design Engineer sets the technical standard for the electrical engineering function, ensures compliance with marine electrical standards, and mentors and directs the Electrical Design Engineer I.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical leader who understands both the engineering and the build. They are comfortable at a CAD workstation and on the production floor, communicate clearly with engineers, technicians, suppliers, and leadership, and take pride in building systems that are safe, reliable, serviceable, and efficient to manufacture.
Key Responsibilities
Electrical System Design & Architecture
- Lead the design and development of complete electrical systems for new and existing boat models, including DC distribution, AC shore power and generator systems, battery and charging systems, and engine integration.
- Define the electrical architecture for each model, including power distribution, circuit protection strategy, grounding and bonding, and network topology.
- Create, review, and approve electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, harness drawings, and related documentation.
- Perform and verify electrical calculations, including load analysis, wire sizing, voltage drop, circuit protection, battery capacity, and charging system sizing.
- Select and specify electrical components, connectors, terminals, wire, circuit protection devices, switching, and electronics.
- Design and integrate NMEA 2000 networks, digital switching systems, displays, and marine electronics packages.
- Design and specify lithium battery systems, inverters, chargers, and related power management equipment.
- Lead the design of electrical enclosures, panels, and component mounting.
- Collaborate with mechanical, structural, and design engineering on wire routing, component locations, chase sizing, and serviceability.
Leadership & Mentoring
- Provide technical direction, mentoring, and day-to-day guidance to the Electrical Design Engineer I.
- Review and approve work prepared by the Electrical Design Engineer I and provide constructive feedback.
- Establish, document, and maintain company electrical design standards, drawing standards, and best practices.
- Lead electrical design reviews and represent electrical engineering in cross-functional engineering meetings.
- Plan and prioritize electrical engineering workload to support model year launches and production schedules.
Standards & Compliance
- Serve as the company's technical authority on marine electrical standards, including ABYC, USCG, NMMA, and other applicable requirements.
- Ensure all electrical designs comply with applicable standards, including ABYC E-11 (AC and DC Electrical Systems on Boats), ABYC E-13 (Lithium Ion Batteries), ABYC A-31 (Battery Chargers and Inverters), and 33 CFR 183 Subpart I (Electrical Systems).
- Support NMMA certification and respond to compliance findings.
- Stay current on revisions to marine electrical standards and update company practices accordingly.
Production & Manufacturing Support
- Partner with the Electrical Department to resolve build issues, improve installation methods, and reduce rework.
- Design harnesses and systems with manufacturability, installation time, and serviceability in mind.
- Support prototype builds and production launches of new models, including first-article inspection of harnesses and electrical installations.
- Work with harness suppliers and component vendors on specifications, quality, cost, and lead times.
- Investigate warranty claims, field failures, and dealer feedback, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions.
Testing & Validation
- Develop electrical test procedures and acceptance criteria for production and prototype boats.
- Lead validation and troubleshooting of new electrical systems and components.
- Verify that installed systems match released documentation and engineering intent.
Documentation & Change Control
- Own electrical bills of materials, wire lists, component lists, and harness documentation for all models.
- Manage revision control and the engineering change process for electrical drawings and documentation.
- Ensure accurate and timely release of electrical documentation to purchasing, production, and suppliers.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, or a related field. Significant relevant industry experience can be considered in place of a degree.
- 4+ years of professional electrical design engineering experience, including at least 3 years designing electrical systems for boats or other vehicles.
- Strong working knowledge of ABYC electrical standards and USCG electrical requirements.
- Proven experience designing complete DC electrical systems, with working knowledge of AC shore power and generator systems.
- Demonstrated experience designing wiring harnesses and producing harness drawings, wire lists, and electrical BOMs.
- Proficiency in electrical load analysis, wire sizing, voltage drop, circuit protection, and battery and charging system design.
- Proficiency with CAD software such as AutoCAD, AutoCAD Electrical, SolidWorks, SolidWorks Electrical, EPLAN, or similar.
- Experience with engineering change control and revision management.
- Experience troubleshooting electrical systems using a multimeter and other test equipment.
- Ability to mentor, review, and develop less experienced engineers.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with engineering, production, purchasing, quality, and suppliers.
- Comfortable working in a hands-on manufacturing environment.
Preferred Qualifications
The following are helpful but not required:
- Experience at a production boat manufacturer.
- ABYC Electrical Technician certification and/or ABYC Marine Systems certification.
- NMEA 2000 network design experience; NMEA certification a plus.
- Experience with digital switching systems (for example CZone, EmpirBus, or similar), including configuration and programming.
- Experience with marine lithium battery systems and ABYC E-13.
- Experience integrating modern digital outboard engine controls and gauges.
- Experience working with harness suppliers, including supplier drawings, quoting, and quality issues.
- Familiarity with ERP and PLM systems.
- Experience with root cause analysis tools such as 8D, 5 Whys, or FMEA.
- Prior supervisory, lead, or formal mentoring experience.
Relationship with Electrical Design Engineer I
The Senior Electrical Design Engineer will provide technical direction, mentoring, design review, and approval for the Electrical Design Engineer I. The Senior Electrical Design Engineer will be expected to:
- Assign and prioritize engineering tasks appropriate to the Electrical Design Engineer I's experience and development.
- Review preliminary designs and documentation and provide clear, constructive feedback.
- Teach company electrical design standards, applicable marine electrical standards, and sound engineering judgment.
- Be available as a resource when unfamiliar or complex design issues arise.
- Gradually expand the Electrical Design Engineer I's responsibilities as their skills develop.
- Retain final technical approval of electrical designs released to production.
Relationship with the Electrical Department
The Senior Electrical Design Engineer will work closely with the Electrical Department and production leadership to make sure electrical designs can be built correctly, efficiently, and consistently on the production floor. This includes regular time on the floor, open communication with electrical technicians and supervisors, and timely response to build questions and engineering issues.
This structure provides strong technical ownership of production boat electrical systems while building the long-term capability of the electrical engineering team.
Senior Electrical Design Engineer
Department: Engineering
Reports To: Electrical Department Head
Direct Reports: Electrical Design Engineer I
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: Summerville, SC
Industry: Marine / Boat Manufacturing
Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced Senior Electrical Design Engineer to lead the design, documentation, validation, and production support of electrical systems across our boat lineup.
This position owns the electrical architecture of new and existing models, from early concept and component selection through harness release, production launch, and continuous improvement. The Senior Electrical Design Engineer sets the technical standard for the electrical engineering function, ensures compliance with marine electrical standards, and mentors and directs the Electrical Design Engineer I.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical leader who understands both the engineering and the build. They are comfortable at a CAD workstation and on the production floor, communicate clearly with engineers, technicians, suppliers, and leadership, and take pride in building systems that are safe, reliable, serviceable, and efficient to manufacture.
Key Responsibilities
Electrical System Design & Architecture
- Lead the design and development of complete electrical systems for new and existing boat models, including DC distribution, AC shore power and generator systems, battery and charging systems, and engine integration.
- Define the electrical architecture for each model, including power distribution, circuit protection strategy, grounding and bonding, and network topology.
- Create, review, and approve electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, harness drawings, and related documentation.
- Perform and verify electrical calculations, including load analysis, wire sizing, voltage drop, circuit protection, battery capacity, and charging system sizing.
- Select and specify electrical components, connectors, terminals, wire, circuit protection devices, switching, and electronics.
- Design and integrate NMEA 2000 networks, digital switching systems, displays, and marine electronics packages.
- Design and specify lithium battery systems, inverters, chargers, and related power management equipment.
- Lead the design of electrical enclosures, panels, and component mounting.
- Collaborate with mechanical, structural, and design engineering on wire routing, component locations, chase sizing, and serviceability.
Leadership & Mentoring
- Provide technical direction, mentoring, and day-to-day guidance to the Electrical Design Engineer I.
- Review and approve work prepared by the Electrical Design Engineer I and provide constructive feedback.
- Establish, document, and maintain company electrical design standards, drawing standards, and best practices.
- Lead electrical design reviews and represent electrical engineering in cross-functional engineering meetings.
- Plan and prioritize electrical engineering workload to support model year launches and production schedules.
Standards & Compliance
- Serve as the company's technical authority on marine electrical standards, including ABYC, USCG, NMMA, and other applicable requirements.
- Ensure all electrical designs comply with applicable standards, including ABYC E-11 (AC and DC Electrical Systems on Boats), ABYC E-13 (Lithium Ion Batteries), ABYC A-31 (Battery Chargers and Inverters), and 33 CFR 183 Subpart I (Electrical Systems).
- Support NMMA certification and respond to compliance findings.
- Stay current on revisions to marine electrical standards and update company practices accordingly.
Production & Manufacturing Support
- Partner with the Electrical Department to resolve build issues, improve installation methods, and reduce rework.
- Design harnesses and systems with manufacturability, installation time, and serviceability in mind.
- Support prototype builds and production launches of new models, including first-article inspection of harnesses and electrical installations.
- Work with harness suppliers and component vendors on specifications, quality, cost, and lead times.
- Investigate warranty claims, field failures, and dealer feedback, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions.
Testing & Validation
- Develop electrical test procedures and acceptance criteria for production and prototype boats.
- Lead validation and troubleshooting of new electrical systems and components.
- Verify that installed systems match released documentation and engineering intent.
Documentation & Change Control
- Own electrical bills of materials, wire lists, component lists, and harness documentation for all models.
- Manage revision control and the engineering change process for electrical drawings and documentation.
- Ensure accurate and timely release of electrical documentation to purchasing, production, and suppliers.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, or a related field. Significant relevant industry experience can be considered in place of a degree.
- 4+ years of professional electrical design engineering experience, including at least 3 years designing electrical systems for boats or other vehicles.
- Strong working knowledge of ABYC electrical standards and USCG electrical requirements.
- Proven experience designing complete DC electrical systems, with working knowledge of AC shore power and generator systems.
- Demonstrated experience designing wiring harnesses and producing harness drawings, wire lists, and electrical BOMs.
- Proficiency in electrical load analysis, wire sizing, voltage drop, circuit protection, and battery and charging system design.
- Proficiency with CAD software such as AutoCAD, AutoCAD Electrical, SolidWorks, SolidWorks Electrical, EPLAN, or similar.
- Experience with engineering change control and revision management.
- Experience troubleshooting electrical systems using a multimeter and other test equipment.
- Ability to mentor, review, and develop less experienced engineers.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with engineering, production, purchasing, quality, and suppliers.
- Comfortable working in a hands-on manufacturing environment.
Preferred Qualifications
The following are helpful but not required:
- Experience at a production boat manufacturer.
- ABYC Electrical Technician certification and/or ABYC Marine Systems certification.
- NMEA 2000 network design experience; NMEA certification a plus.
- Experience with digital switching systems (for example CZone, EmpirBus, or similar), including configuration and programming.
- Experience with marine lithium battery systems and ABYC E-13.
- Experience integrating modern digital outboard engine controls and gauges.
- Experience working with harness suppliers, including supplier drawings, quoting, and quality issues.
- Familiarity with ERP and PLM systems.
- Experience with root cause analysis tools such as 8D, 5 Whys, or FMEA.
- Prior supervisory, lead, or formal mentoring experience.
Relationship with Electrical Design Engineer I
The Senior Electrical Design Engineer will provide technical direction, mentoring, design review, and approval for the Electrical Design Engineer I. The Senior Electrical Design Engineer will be expected to:
- Assign and prioritize engineering tasks appropriate to the Electrical Design Engineer I's experience and development.
- Review preliminary designs and documentation and provide clear, constructive feedback.
- Teach company electrical design standards, applicable marine electrical standards, and sound engineering judgment.
- Be available as a resource when unfamiliar or complex design issues arise.
- Gradually expand the Electrical Design Engineer I's responsibilities as their skills develop.
- Retain final technical approval of electrical designs released to production.
Relationship with the Electrical Department
The Senior Electrical Design Engineer will work closely with the Electrical Department and production leadership to make sure electrical designs can be built correctly, efficiently, and consistently on the production floor. This includes regular time on the floor, open communication with electrical technicians and supervisors, and timely response to build questions and engineering issues.
This structure provides strong technical ownership of production boat electrical systems while building the long-term capability of the electrical engineering team.
See All 23 Electrical Design Engineer Jobs in South Carolina
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Find JobsElectrical Design Engineer Jobs by City in South Carolina
Where South Carolina roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Electrical Design Engineer Job Market in South Carolina
A snapshot from current South Carolina openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Construction & Real Estate
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Manufacturing
What South Carolina Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in electrical design engineer jobs across South Carolina.
- Active South Carolina Professional Engineer license or eligibility for South Carolina licensure
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or closely related engineering discipline
- Proficiency in CAD tools such as AutoCAD Electrical, SOLIDWORKS Electrical, or EPLAN
- Experience with NEC, NFPA 70, or IEC electrical design codes and standards
- Hands-on background in power distribution, motor controls, or embedded systems design
- Familiarity with PLC programming and industrial automation systems integration
Electrical Design Engineer Jobs in South Carolina: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a electrical design engineer in South Carolina?
The standard path starts with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from an ABET-accredited program, followed by passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam administered through the South Carolina Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. After gaining qualifying work experience, candidates sit for the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam to earn a Professional Engineer license in South Carolina. Many positions, particularly in defense and aerospace, can be entered with the FE credential alone while PE licensure is pursued.
How much do electrical design engineers make in South Carolina?
Electrical design engineers in South Carolina earn a median of about $98,440 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $69,260 for the lowest 10% to over $156,330 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire electrical design engineers in South Carolina?
South Carolina electrical design engineer roles are posted by Vertiv, Fluor, and Rmf Engineering and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. South Carolina's mix of aerospace primes, automotive manufacturers, and defense contractors makes it one of the more diverse hiring markets for electrical design engineers in the Southeast.
Which South Carolina cities have the most electrical design engineer jobs?
Greenville, Anderson, and Charleston lead South Carolina for electrical design engineer openings right now. Charleston's concentration of aerospace and defense employers, including Boeing's major assembly operations, anchors demand there, while Greenville's advanced manufacturing base and Michelin's regional headquarters sustain consistent hiring, and Columbia draws engineers through state government contracts and utility infrastructure projects.
Are there remote electrical design engineer jobs in South Carolina?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely analytical fields because much of the work involves on-site collaboration, hardware testing, and facility walkthroughs. About 29% of electrical design engineer openings tied to South Carolina are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with hybrid arrangements more prevalent than fully remote. The portions of the role most likely to be done remotely include schematic drafting, documentation review, and design simulation work.
How can I get hired as a electrical design engineer in South Carolina with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a new-graduate or rotational engineering program at a large South Carolina employer such as Boeing in North Charleston or Bosch in Anderson, both of which recruit directly from South Carolina engineering schools including Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. Candidates without full professional experience often move in from adjacent roles in electrical technician or drafting positions. Holding the Fundamentals of Engineering credential and building a portfolio of capstone or co-op projects strengthens applications significantly at this stage.
Where can I find and apply to electrical design engineer jobs in South Carolina?
You can find and apply to electrical design engineer jobs in South Carolina on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search the available roles, identify the ones that fit your background and location, and apply directly through each listing without any intermediate steps.
See All 23 Electrical Design Engineer Jobs in South Carolina
Find roles in South Carolina that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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