Career Area:Manufacturing
Job Description:Role Definition:Provides the technical expertise necessary to design, develop, and implement manufacturing engineering, complex manufacturing operations, and sophisticated machinery. This position functions as a specialist in the following major areas: planning, tooling, maintenance, plant engineering, releasing, manufacturing processes, costs, quality, compliance with safety guidelines, and environmental requirements for manufacturing.
What You Will Do:- Identify and implement enhancements and modifications to complex manufacturing operations equipment and processes.
- Monitor sophisticated equipment and process reliability; identify and address problem areas.
- Provide direct supervision, coaching and development for operations technical staff and support areas.
- Lead engineering support on planning, development, operation, and maintenance of equipment, processes, or facilities.
What Skills You Have: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.
- Differentiates assumptions, perspectives, and historical frameworks.
- Evaluates past decisions for insights to improve decision-making process.
- Advises others in analyzing and synthesizing relevant data and assessing alternatives.
- Uses effective decision-making approaches such as consultative, command, or consensus.
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.
- Discusses considerations for work cell design and effectiveness monitoring.
- Finds solution for key technical and people problems associated with transformation to lean.
- Explains issues and considerations of implementing lean in own function or area.
- Selects and utilizes tools, techniques and measurements associated with a lean assessment.
Manufacturing Equipment: Knowledge of the electrical, mechanical and logistics equipment used in manufacturing; ability to safely operate, maintain, update and store them.
- Performs routine maintenance: cleaning, replacing defective or worn parts.
- Participates in setting up new machines and testing according to manufacturer's specifications.
- Uses standard diagnostic tools and techniques; resolves common problems.
- Conducts routine inspections; checks machine performance and equipment safeguards; reports standards violations.
Manufacturing Processes: Knowledge of existing product manufacturing methods, technologies and processes; ability to execute, plan, manage and monitor the entire manufacturing process.
- Develops best practices documentation for all major activities and tasks.
- Trains others on all major tasks and considerations for the full manufacturing process.
- Participates in measuring and monitoring new processes and technologies.
- Selects and optimizes specific methodologies for specific products.
Manufacturing Safety: Knowledge of manufacturing safety; ability to identify work-related hazards and perform necessary activities to meet regulatory requirements for the safety and protection of workers, environment and site.
- Consults on the use of new tools and techniques for safety protection.
- Performs safety inspections to assure compliance with OSHA requirements.
- Assesses and reports unusual or new safety hazards or violations; initiates corrective action.
- Ensures that all employees and contractors comply with relevant safety policies and regulations.
Manufacturing Standards, Procedures and Policies: Knowledge of organizational standards, procedures and policies in manufacturing activities; ability to plan, guide, and monitor manufacturing processes for compliance.
- Develops and uses control and monitoring mechanisms for adherence.
- Collaborates with other functions on establishing and documenting joint standards.
- Participates in defining architectural principles and standards for organization.
- Ensures communication vehicles are effectively informing affected areas and employees.
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.
- Identifies and documents specific problems and resolution alternatives.
- Examines a specific problem and understands the perspective of each involved stakeholder.
- Develops alternative techniques for assessing accuracy and relevance of information.
- Helps to analyze risks and benefits of alternative approaches and obtain decision on resolution.
Project Management: Knowledge of project management principles and practices; ability to plan, organize, execute, and monitor manufacturing engineering projects.
- Develops project plans, schedules, resource requirements, and status updates.
- Coordinates activities among stakeholders to achieve project objectives.
- Tracks project milestones, risks, and deliverables.
- Supports implementation of new equipment, process improvements, and capital projects.
- Communicates project status and recommendations to leadership and stakeholders.
Top Candidates May Also Have:- Experience with CNC machining processes, including setup optimization, cutting tool selection, and process improvement initiatives.
- Expertise in tooling design, tool management, and manufacturing process engineering within a production environment.
- Knowledge of smart manufacturing technologies, including data-driven process monitoring, connected manufacturing systems, and digital transformation initiatives.
- Zoller/tool management initiatives.
- Automation and collaborative robot (cobot) experience.
- Experience with capital projects and process improvements.
- Supplier collaboration and management experience.
- Advanced product quality planning (APQP) experience.
- Knowledge of and experience with 6 Sigma and Lean Manufacturing concepts.
Additional Information:- This position requires the selected candidate to work on-site five days a week in the Pontiac, IL facility.
- Domestic relocation assistance available is available.
- VISA sponsorship is not available for this position.
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Summary Pay Range:$97,530.00 - $146,290.00
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.
Relocation is available for this position.
Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.
Posting Dates:July 7, 2026 - July 21, 2026
Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.
