Career Area:Manufacturing
Job Description:Job Summary: In this role as a
Manufacturing Engineer, you will report to the
Manager Manufacturing Engineering and be responsible for supporting and improving machining operations with a focus on
lathe manufacturing processes. You will provide technical guidance related to safety, quality, productivity, cost, tooling, and equipment performance while partnering with production teams to drive continuous improvement. As a member of the Manufacturing Engineering team, you will play a key role in optimizing machining processes, improving product quality, and building a defect-free culture.
What You Will Do:- Support and improve lathe machining operations, ensuring processes are safe, efficient, and capable of meeting production and quality requirements.
- Develop and implement tooling, fixturing, and machining process improvements for both new and existing products.
- Document safety risks through Safety FMEAs and drive root cause corrective actions for injuries, near misses, and process-related safety concerns.
- Document quality risks through Process FMEAs and implement corrective actions to reduce scrap, rework, and defects.
- Analyze machining performance data and drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on cycle time reduction, productivity gains, and cost savings.
- Provide engineering support for CNC and manual lathe operations, including process development, tooling selection, machine capability, and troubleshooting.
- Partner with operations, quality, and maintenance teams to resolve machining issues and improve overall equipment effectiveness.
- Lead root cause investigations and implement corrective actions for machining defects, dimensional concerns, and process variation.
- Support new product introductions and engineering changes by developing robust machining processes that meet quality and production requirements.
- Promote Lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement initiatives throughout the machining area.
Education requirement:Bachelor's degree in Engineering from an accredited institution, or equivalent knowledge and skills gained through relevant professional experience.
What skills you will have:Decision Making and Critical Thinking: - Applies data-driven decision making to identify and resolve issues related to lathe machining operations, process capability, quality, and productivity.
- Provides guidance to others in analyzing manufacturing data, identifying root causes, and evaluating alternative solutions to improve process performance.
- Challenges assumptions and conventional practices through objective analysis to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Manufacturing Processes:- Leverages knowledge of CNC and manual lathe machining processes, tooling, fixturing, and manufacturing best practices to improve operational performance.
- Provides technical guidance on critical machining considerations, including process capability, cutting parameters, tool life, quality requirements, and production efficiency.
- Identifies, develops, and optimizes machining methodologies to improve safety, quality, throughput, and cost.
- Evaluates emerging technologies, tooling solutions, and manufacturing processes to determine their suitability and potential business impact.
Manufacturing Processes:- Ensures communication vehicles are effectively informing affected areas and employees.
- Collaborates with other functions on establishing and documenting joint standards.
- Participates in defining principles and standards for organization
Problem Solving:- Oversees the resolution of issues and provides feedback to downstream customers.
- Executes established procedures for addressing non-standard or atypical problems.
- Employs a specific discipline or methodology for problem-solving and resolution
Additional Information: The location for this position is Mapleton, IL
Domestic relocation assistance is NOT available for this position.
Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position.
This position will require 10% travel.
#LI
Summary Pay Range:$89,210.00 - $133,810.00
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
This position requires working onsite five days a week.
Posting Dates:July 22, 2026 - July 29, 2026
Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.
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