Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rotor assembly for an electric machine. The rotor assembly includes a shaft, at least one slip ring, a field coil, a first pole segment, and a wire retainer. The at least one slip ring is attached to the shaft. The field coil surrounds the shaft such that the field coil has one or more wire sections in electrical communication with the at least one slip ring. The first pole segment rotates with the shaft. And, the wire retainer is disposed between the field coil and the at least one slip ring such that the wire retainer includes at least one opening, disposed along an outer periphery of the pole segment, for routing the one or more wire sections.