Manufacturing Engineer (Test)

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.

Updated: 09/29/2025

Role Definition

Assists with technical analysis of manufacturing processes in all aspects of production, costs, quality, compliance to safety guidelines, and environmental requirements for manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Participating in identifying and implementing enhancements and modifications to equipment and processes.
• Monitoring equipment and process reliability; identifying and addressing problem areas.
• Providing coaching and development for operations technical staff and support areas.
• Providing engineering support on planning, development, operation, and maintenance of equipment, processes, or facilities.

Degree Requirement

Degree or equivalent experience desired

Skill Descriptors

Collaborative Automation: Knowledge of techniques and processes of collaborative automation; ability to develop and deploy cobots to automate manufacturing processes.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Describes the concepts, features, and benefits of collaborative automation.
• Discusses key considerations and issues in collaborative automation.
• Highlights the difference between collaborative robots and traditional robots.
• Lists applications of collaborative automation such as material handling, product inspection, etc.

Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Explains characteristics and steps in an effective decision-making process.
• Identifies issues and communicates with others when a decision needs to be made.
• Names decision makers in own environment and cites examples of past decisions.
• Describes types of decisions incumbent may and may not make in own job or function.

Engineering - MFG: Knowledge of processes, techniques and methods of engineering in a manufacturing environment; ability to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems and processes that safely realize a desired objective or invention.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Describes where and how to obtain additional engineering information and expertise.
• Explains engineering concepts and features in a manufacturing environment.
• Cites manufacturing industry or organizational examples of usage or application of engineering.
• Identifies major initiatives, key issues and benefits of engineering in manufacturing.

Lean Manufacturing: Knowledge of the philosophy, principles and implementation approaches of lean manufacturing; ability to integrate and implement lean manufacturing philosophy into existing production and management processes.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Cites examples of benefits and risks associated with implementing lean principles.
• Describes basic tools for observing existing processes and identifying waste.
• Cites industry or company examples of successful and unsuccessful lean implementations.
• Identifies key lean principles and highlights of the lean manufacturing process.

Manufacturing Processes: Knowledge of existing product manufacturing methods, technologies and processes; ability to execute, plan, manage and monitor the entire manufacturing process.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Describes functional areas in a manufacturing facility.
• Describes the roles and responsibilities of manufacturing areas and staff.
• Identifies major phases and activities associated with a manufacturing cycle.
• Obtains and interprets high-level manufacturing flow and documentation.

Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Explains the value of a disciplined approach to problem solving.
• Describes problem reporting and escalation practices.
• Utilizes accepted procedures for problem analysis and resolution.
• Identifies key aspects of problem-solving techniques used in own area.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA): Knowledge of techniques and processes of robotic process automation (RPA); ability to develop and deploy RPA solutions in various industries.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Describes the concepts, features and benefits of RPA.
• Lists examples of RPA application in various industries, e.g., retail, banking, and healthcare.
• Lists methods and tools that are used to develop and deploy RPA.
• Discusses main considerations and issues regarding RPA.

This Job Description is intended as a general guide to the job duties for this position and is intended for the purpose of establishing the specific salary grade. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive summary of all responsibilities, duties and effort required of employees assigned to this job. At the discretion of management, this description may be changed at any time to address the evolving needs of the organization. It is expressly not intended to be a comprehensive list of “essential job functions” as that term is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Posting Dates:

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply

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