National Motorsport Academy

Motorsport Electronics Jobs

About the Job Role

Motorsport electronics jobs include:
Electrical Engineer, Wiring Loom Technician, Electrical Technician, Electrical Build Technician, Harness Technician, Electrical Design Engineer.
In the world of motorsport, the electrics are the central nervous system of the car. Hundreds of metres of wiring and dozens of sensors all combine to effectively ‘control’ some of the most critical elements of race car engineering. The job of the Electrical Engineer is highly specialised.

From the initial design through to the final integration of harnesses, specialist sensor and battery development, motorsport electronics are a growing specialism thanks in part to the push towards electric vehicles. As much as the wiring and sensors on any performance vehicle are aseparate consideration in the design process, electrical engineers will also need to have a full understanding of the mechanical engineering principles they support.

About the Person

Electrical Engineers will generally come from an automotive electrical background. All vehicle technician’s courses now include modules on electrics, and this is one of the best routes into the business. You’ll need extensive knowledge covering all manner of automotive wiring and may even come from an industrial electrical background but have a healthy interest in motorsport. A recent job advert for a Senior Electrical Design Engineer asked for the following skillset:

  • Demonstrable experience of electrical system design
  • Proficient ‘drawing’ skills in line with industry recognised EDS standards
  • Process management skills including stock ordering, hazard and risk analysis, costings
  • Practical experience of vehicle fault analysis and harness modification
  • At least 3 years professional training

How to Get Started

If you’re already a qualified electrician or vehicle technician, then you’re off to a good start. You’ll also need experience of working on performance vehicles which can often be as a hobby if you are looking for an entry-level position. As with all motorsport jobs, experience is everything.

Look at volunteering on weekends with a local team or attend race meetings and offer your services. Every hour of experience you gain counts heavily towards your employment potential.

If you are already a qualified electrical engineer but feel that your general mechanical motorsport skills are lacking, perhaps look at bolstering your skills with a motorsport engineering degree.

Here at the NMA, we have students working in 9 of the 10 Formula 1 teams, World Rally Championship, WEC and a range of other racing series both in the UK and abroad.

Because our degrees are taught online, you can study in your spare time, fitting in assignments around your work and family commitments. You can even choose your own start date if it suits you to start in the off-season, pre-season or summer break.

Both the BSc Motorsport Engineering and the new MSc Advanced Motorsport Engineering offer a chance to specialise on an element of your choice with a final end-of-year project. Applications from electrical specialists are welcome!

Take a look at other motorsport jobs available:

RaceStaff.com has been developed by motorsport people for motorsport people. As former drivers and engineers they understand the industry and how quickly vacancies can need to be filled so they built a system that is immediate as well as being pro-active and motorsport focussed.

NMA works in association with RaceStaff.com, so after you graduate with an NMA Degree we can help you achieve your dream job within the motorsport industry. 

We place cookies on your device to help make this website better and improve your experience. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Please see our data protection policy for full details.