Manufacturing Project Engineer

Description

Career Area:

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

This Manufacturing Project Engineer role serves as a global manufacturing engineering leader for Rigid Frame Truck (RFT) Heavy Structures and is embedded within the Product Engineering organization to ensure manufacturability is integrated into the design process from concept through production. In this role, you will lead the development, deployment, and sustainment of common manufacturing processes across the company's global manufacturing footprint, with responsibility spanning structural fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, and inspection. You will collaborate with Product Engineering, regional manufacturing teams, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and automation specialists to standardize methods, equipment strategies, tooling concepts, quality systems, and operational best practices. Your work will improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and capacity performance while enabling repeatable, scalable manufacturing solutions across RFT facilities worldwide.

Additional Information:

• Primary Location: Decatur, IL.

• Relocation Assistance: Domestic relocation assistance is available.

• Travel Requirements: Up to 20% travel (domestic and/or international) may be required.

• Sponsorship: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Why This Role Is Impactful:

• Manufacturing Engineering Leadership Within Product Development – You will serve as the manufacturing engineering expert within the engineering organization, influencing product designs, recommending design changes, and ensuring manufacturing requirements are incorporated early in the development cycle.

• Global Process Commonality Leadership – You will establish and drive common manufacturing processes and standards across RFT facilities worldwide, reducing variation and enabling consistent, efficient execution.

• Structural Fabrication and Welding Excellence – You will define and standardize critical manufacturing methods for large-welded structures, including weld procedures, robotic applications, fixtures, tooling, consumables, distortion control, and inspection requirements.

• Manufacturing Technology and Automation – You will evaluate, develop, and deploy scalable technologies such as robotic welding, automated material handling, dimensional verification systems, offline programming, manufacturing execution systems, and digital work instructions.

• Operational Performance Improvement – You will leverage Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence principles, KPI dashboards, and data analytics to improve throughput, productivity, capacity utilization, quality, and overall manufacturing cost.

• Cross-Functional Global Influence – You will lead collaboration among Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and automation teams to develop common solutions that improve manufacturability, standardize processes, and support enterprise manufacturing strategies.

What You Will Do:

• Lead the development and execution of a global manufacturing process commonality strategy for RFT Heavy Structures, establishing standardized methods, best practices, and scalable manufacturing solutions across global facilities.

• Serve as the manufacturing engineering representative within the Product Engineering organization, advising design engineers on manufacturability, recommending DFM driven design improvements, and helping drive more efficient and standardized products and processes.

• Drive global process standardization for fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, material handling, dimensional inspection, and process control to improve quality, efficiency, operational consistency, and manufacturing readiness.

• Lead capital investment and manufacturing improvement projects, managing scope, budgets, schedules, risks, and stakeholder alignment while delivering measurable business and operational results.

• Develop and optimize manufacturing processes for large welded structural assemblies, including welding technologies, tooling, automation, quality systems, and production readiness activities, while identifying opportunities to commonize processes across products and manufacturing locations.

• Apply Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence principles to identify process variation, eliminate bottlenecks, resolve manufacturing challenges, and implement sustainable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

• Partner with Product Engineering and cross-functional teams throughout the product development lifecycle to support Design for Manufacturability (DFM), APQP activities, process validation, manufacturing readiness, and successful new product introductions.

• Strengthen the technical capabilities of the global manufacturing engineering organization by facilitating collaboration, sharing best practices, mentoring engineers, and serving as a subject matter expert for structural manufacturing processes and technology roadmaps.

What Skills you will have:

• Manufacturing Engineering, Structural Fabrication & Automation: Possesses deep expertise in manufacturing engineering for large structural fabrication environments, including welding, machining, assembly, quality systems, CAD-supported design reviews, robotics, automation, process optimization, and New Product Introduction (NPI) readiness.

• Project Management & Capacity Planning: Leads complex global manufacturing and capital projects while utilizing advanced capacity planning, forecasting, resource management, budgeting, scheduling, and risk mitigation practices to achieve business objectives.

• Strategic Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement: Applies analytical thinking, technical troubleshooting, and data-driven decision-making to solve complex manufacturing challenges, optimize processes, eliminate waste, and drive sustainable operational improvements.

• Global Manufacturing Leadership & Collaboration: Builds alignment across engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and operations teams by influencing stakeholders, driving process standardization, mentoring engineers, and sharing best practices across global organizations.

• Manufacturing Technology & Digital Engineering: Leverages CAD tools, manufacturing data analytics, automation technologies, manufacturing execution systems, and digital manufacturing solutions to improve product manufacturability, production performance, and operational scalability.

Top Candidates will also have:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Welding Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

• AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) certification or equivalent welding qualification.

• Experience with robotic welding, automation technologies, and advanced manufacturing systems.

• Demonstrated success developing and implementing global manufacturing standards in a multinational organization.

• Experience leveraging manufacturing data analytics, digital work instructions, manufacturing execution systems, and offline programming solutions to drive operational excellence.

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Summary Pay Range:

Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar.

Benefits:

Subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of benefits.

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits*

• Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*

• 401(k) savings plans*

• Health Savings Account (HSA)*

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*

• Health Lifestyle Programs*

• Employee Assistance Program*

• Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts*

• Career Development*

• Incentive bonus*

• Disability benefits

• Life Insurance

• Parental leave

• Adoption benefits

• Tuition Reimbursement

* These benefits also apply to part-time employees

Posting Dates:

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.

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