Principal EDS Engineer in Cheadle

Reporting to the Fastrac E&C Chief Engineer, the Principal EDS Engineer is responsible for leading the Electrical Distribution System (EDS) design across the Fastrac fleet. Fastrac is one of JCB’s four key growth products and is central to its Agricultural offering. As the most electrically and electronically complex machine in JCB’s product range, this role presents a unique opportunity to lead and shape a critical engineering discipline within a high-profile product line. You will act as the technical authority for EDS within Landpower, driving design excellence, ensuring delivery to programme milestones, and supporting innovation, quality, and standardisation across the platform.

Responsibilities

• Act as EDS Lead for all Landpower products, owning delivery and design in line with JCB processes.
• Lead electrical schematic and harness design activities, either directly or through the Landpower EDS team.
• Produce and manage drawing creation and release plans in line with project timings and programme requirements.
• Define, document, release and sign‑off electrical components, coordinating closely with suppliers and purchasing teams.
• Mentor, lead and manage workload across the EDS team, including collaboration with the remotely based India Design team.
• Ensure robust record keeping of all designs, revisions and updates in compliance with JCB standards and processes.
• Drive reuse of existing components, architectures and design approaches to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with wider engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of EDS within the product.
• Support engineering problem‑solving activities including cause and effect analysis, risk assessments, FMEA, 8D and Ishikawa methodologies.
• Ensure best practice in E&E component placement and harness routing is applied across all designs.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of processes, tools and quality systems.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience within Tier 1 or OEM environments (on‑highway or off‑highway).
• Strong technical expertise in EDS schematic and harness design.
• Hands‑on experience using CAD and harness design tools.
• Educated to HND/Degree level in an electronics‑based discipline (or equivalent practical experience).
• Solid understanding of engineering quality systems, processes and standards.
• Strong knowledge of E&E component placement and harness routing best practices.
• Effective communicator, able to coordinate tasks across multi‑disciplinary and global teams.
• Experience mentoring or leading engineers (formal management experience advantageous).
• Highly organised, with strong attention to detail and a commitment to accurate documentation and record keeping.
• Proactive, solution‑focused, and motivated to drive high‑quality engineering outcomes within a complex product environment.

What’s in it for you?

This is your chance to join a company that values expertise not only in rewards but also in real employee care. At JCB you don’t just get a competitive salary, 33 days’ holiday and access to our company pension—you can also use our onsite gym, in‑house doctor and dentist. We have an ULEV car scheme available for our employees too. Then there’s the JCB Rewards Hub, which gives you discounts with high street retailers. Feel like biking to work? There’s our Cycle to Work Scheme.

Equal Opportunities

We value diversity and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We’re committed to ensuring our recruitment process is fair and inclusive. If you face any accessibility challenges with your online application and require additional support, you have the option of speaking to a member of our Recruitment Team who can support you to complete an application in an alternative format. If you would benefit from this support, please email recruitment@jcb.com, and a member of the team will be in touch.