Caterpillar, Inc

Test & Validation Senior Associate Engineer

Caterpillar, Inc$89K — $133K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or Materials Science or equivalent experience
  • Proven experience in engineering functions related to testing and validation
  • Strong understanding of analytical thinking and problem-solving
  • Familiarity with product testing techniques and tools
  • Excellent communication and project management skills

Responsibilities

  • Resolve design and manufacturing issues for product acceptance
  • Adopt new technologies for improved efficiency and quality
  • Plan and enhance testing procedures for effectiveness
  • Monitor machine capabilities and overall performance
  • Document test processes and analyze defect reports

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • Paid time off including vacation and holidays
  • 401(k) savings plan with company match
  • Flexible spending accounts
  • Employee assistance and wellness programs
  • Tuition reimbursement options
  • Career development opportunities
  • Incentive bonuses based on performance
Full Job Description
Career Area:
Engineering

Job Description:

Caterpillar's Remanufacturing Division is looking for a Test & Validation Senior Associate Engineer to support the Corinth, MS facility. This position will implement and improve testing, development and validation techniques, processes, tooling and machinery to maximize product quality.

What You Will Do:
  • Resolving issues regarding the design or manufacturing. Ensuring design acceptance and manufacturing readiness.
  • Participating in the adoption of new technologies and processes (automation, robotics, computer aided manufacturing software, etc.) to achieve greater efficiency, cost reduction and quality improvement.
  • Planning and improving testing procedures and operations to make the test more reliable, efficient and cost-effective.
  • Monitoring results, machine and process capabilities and performance reliability.

What You Will Have:

Requires a degree in an accredited Engineering, Computer Science, or Materials Science curriculum or equivalent experience working in an Engineering function.

Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.

Level Basic Understanding:
  • Explains the importance of accuracy in own function or unit.
  • Identifies tasks or outputs that require accuracy and detail-level attention.
  • Identifies the procedures for making sure that results are mistake-free.
  • Describes consequences of errors within own unit or function.


Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.

Level Working Knowledge:
  • Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue and determining its significance.
  • Makes a systematic comparison of two or more alternative solutions.
  • Creates and shares advanced analytics
  • Uses flow charts, Pareto charts, fish diagrams, GR&R, etc. to disclose meaningful data patterns.
  • Identifies the major forces, events and people impacting and impacted by the situation at hand.
  • Uses logic and intuition to make inferences about the meaning of the data and arrive at conclusions.


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.


Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.

Level Working Knowledge:
  • Delivers helpful feedback that focuses on behaviors without offending the recipient.
  • Listens to feedback without defensiveness and uses it for own communication effectiveness.
  • Makes oral presentations and writes reports needed for own work.
  • Avoids technical jargon when inappropriate.
  • Looks for and considers non-verbal cues from individuals and groups.
  • Generates technical reports and conveys critical information to project stakeholders.


Technical Excellence: Knowledge of a given technology and various application methods; ability to develop and provide solutions to significant technical challenges.

Level Basic Understanding:
  • Uses a structured approach in analyzing and resolving technical problems.
  • Seeks opportunities for continual learning to maintain technical competence in pursuit of technical excellence.
  • Provides examples or case studies demonstrating technical excellence in actual business scenarios.
  • Pursues, prepares for and assumes new technical assignments and challenges.


Project Management: Knowledge of effective project management strategies and tactics; ability to plan, organize, monitor, and control projects, ensuring efficient utilization of technical and administrative resources to achieve project objectives.

Level Basic Understanding:
  • Identifies project management tools and requirements within own function.
  • Describes the key objectives, phases and deliverables of a current project.
  • Explains the concepts of phase, activity, task, and deliverable.
  • Creates and manages large scale project plans.
  • Monitors, advises, and mitigates risk to critical path tasks.


Product Testing: Knowledge of product testing approaches, techniques and tools; ability to design, plan and execute testing strategies and tactics to ensure product quality at all stages of manufacturing.

Level Working Knowledge:
  • Documents test process and results; prepares and analyzes defect-tracking reports.
  • Summarizes features of a specific product-testing process and associated procedures.
  • Tests components for compliance with functional requirements and established conventions.
  • Discusses and compares usability, safety and integration testing.
  • Develops product-testing procedures; participates in selecting testing environment and tools.


Troubleshooting Technical Problems: Knowledge of troubleshooting approaches, tools and techniques; ability to anticipate, detect and resolve technical problems in a manufacturing or product development environment.

Level Working Knowledge:
  • Documents common hardware, software and communications problems and likely resolutions.
  • Troubleshoots typical technical problems with hardware failures, PLC inputs/outputs, and performance gaps.
  • Works with vendor-specific diagnostic guides, tools and utilities to discover application problems.
  • Adheres to standard troubleshooting procedures to ensure effectiveness of resolutions.
  • Participates in setting evaluation standards and criterion for troubleshooting.


What You Will Get!

Our goal at Caterpillar is for you to have a rewarding career. Our teams are critical to the success of our customers who build a better world.

Here you earn more than just an hourly wage, because we value your performance, we offer a total rewards package that provides day one benefits along with the potential of annual bonuses.

Additional benefits include paid vacation days and paid holidays (prorated based upon hire date).
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holiday, Volunteer, Etc.)
• 401k savings plan
• Health savings account (HSA)
• Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
• Short and long-term disability coverage
• Life Insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Healthy Lifestyle Programs
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Voluntary Benefits (Ex. Accident, Identity Theft Protection)

Please ensure you frequently sign into your candidate home for any updates or correspondence for positions that you have applied for. https://cat.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CaterpillarCareers

Keep a frequent check on emails as correspondence will be sent to the email that you used to apply with. If you wish to know the status of your application - please use the candidate log-in on our career website as it will reflect any updates to your status.

Visa sponsorship is NOT available for this position.

This employer is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as, H, L, TN, F, J, E, O. As a global company, Caterpillar offers many job opportunities outside of the U.S which can be found through our employment website at www.caterpillar.com/careers

Domestic relocation assistance is offered for this position.

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.

Relocation is available for this position.

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Posting Dates:
September 3, 2026 - September 13, 2026

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

Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community.

About Caterpillar, Inc

Progress Rail Services Corporation, a Caterpillar company, is one of the largest integrated and diversified suppliers of railroad and transit system products and services worldwide. Since its acquisition by Caterpillar Inc. in 2006, Progress Rail has used the Caterpillar international footprint to gain quick and widespread notice and approval across the globe. Product technology, reliability and durability, along with legendary aftermarket parts and service support, have been their keys to success. Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The technology and world reach of Caterpillar, combined with the service standard and historical reliability of Progress Rail, ensures their products and services make a growing impact on the world rail industry. With their acquisition of Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), Progress Rail is the world's largest builder of diesel-electric locomotives for all commercial railroad applications including freight, intercity passenger, commuter, switching, industrial and mining. EMD is also a global provider of diesel power engines for marine propulsion, offshore and land based oil well drilling rigs and stationary power generation. Electro-Motive is the only diesel engine manufacturer of its size to have produced more than 70,000 engines. This success stems from product reliability, serviceability, load acceptance capability, low operating costs and ease of maintenance with standardized components.

Caterpillar, Inc. Careers

Join the robust team at Caterpillar, Inc., a global leader in construction and mining equipment, where innovation drives everything we do. As part of our team, you'll engage in work that improves the world and furthers your career with every project you touch.

Work You’ll Do

At Caterpillar, Inc., you will have the opportunity to contribute to a variety of groundbreaking projects that extend across the globe. Our commitment to leadership in the industry is unwavering, and we achieve it through a culture that fosters diversity and leadership development.

Explore Job Opportunities and Growth

Caterpillar offers a wide range of job opportunities and career paths, providing a platform for professional growth and development. Whether you're interested in engineering, sales, marketing, or management, Caterpillar has a position that will utilize your unique skills and talents. We are continuously hiring innovative minds to propel our mission forward and maintain our status as industry leaders.

Internship Programs

Kickstart your career with a Caterpillar internship. Our internships provide invaluable workplace experience and networking opportunities that often lead to full-time employment at our company. As an intern, you will work alongside experienced professionals and gain insights that will benefit you as you advance in your career.

Benefits and Culture

Choosing a career at Caterpillar means more than just having a job. It means you're part of a team that values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We offer competitive benefits to ensure the health and well-being of our employees and their families. These benefits include health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off, alongside unique perks like professional development and diversity training programs.

Innovation and Leadership

Drive innovation and industry leadership as part of the Caterpillar team. We empower our employees to lead from their first day on the job, encouraging continuous improvement and career advancement. At Caterpillar, your ideas will shape the future of our business and the industries we serve.

Join Our Team

Search open positions that match your skills and interests. We are looking for passionate, curious, and solution-driven team players. Ready to start your journey at Caterpillar, Inc.? Explore our career portal for the latest job opportunities.

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Keep up to date with company news, career tips, and industry insights—all from the people who work here. Subscribe to our careers blog and personalize your subscription to receive updates that align with your career interests.

Prepare for Your Interview

Make a great first impression. Prepare for your interview at Caterpillar by reviewing common questions and practicing your responses. Tailor your resume to highlight the experiences and skills that make you the ideal candidate for the position you are applying for. At Caterpillar, Inc., every role offers the chance to make an impact. Come be a part of our team and drive the future of our global industries. Your career at Caterpillar is not just about what you'll accomplish, but how you'll grow and the innovation you'll lead. Join us and build a career that matters.
Learn more about Caterpillar, Inc
Size
107,700 employees
Market Cap
$125.3 billion
Industry
Net Income
$2.9 billion
Founded
1925
5 Year Trend
+5.8%
Revenue
$41.7 billion
NASDAQ

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