Manufacturing Engineer - Assembly Projects and Process Improvement
Caterpillar Inc. · Lafayette, Indiana ·
- Employment
- Part time
- Category
- Industrial engineering
Caterpillar Inc. · Lafayette, Indiana ·
Career Area:
ManufacturingJob 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.
About LPSD
The Large Power Systems Division (LPSD) is part of Caterpillar’s Power & Energy segment. Through this global organization, Caterpillar designs and manufactures large (greater than 18 liters) diesel and natural gas engines, powertrains and key engine systems. LPSD products and solutions support customers across power generation, industrial, marine, oil & gas, rail, services and Cat® machine applications worldwide.
Job Summary
The Manufacturing Engineer, Assembly Projects and Process Improvement will lead the development and implementation of safe, lean, capable, and cost-effective manufacturing processes for current and future Assembly operations. This position will support New Capital Introduction projects and major process improvements from initial benchmarking and concept development through equipment installation, validation, production startup, and sustainment.
The engineer will evaluate existing manufacturing methods, develop current-state and future-state processes and layouts, and work with Operations, Quality, Safety, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Product Engineering, Facilities, and external equipment suppliers to deliver manufacturing solutions that improve safety, quality, velocity, and cost.
This role requires strong manufacturing engineering fundamentals, project leadership, structured problem solving, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to translate production needs into practical equipment and process solutions.
Success in This Role
A successful candidate will be able to take a manufacturing need from an initially defined problem or future production requirement through a robust and implementable process solution. The candidate should be comfortable working on the production floor, analyzing data, developing layouts and equipment concepts, coordinating suppliers, leading cross-functional reviews, managing project execution, and supporting the final transition into production.
What you will do
Lead Manufacturing Engineering activities for New Capital Introduction, equipment replacement, capacity, safety, quality, and process improvement projects within Assembly operations.
Benchmark existing manufacturing processes and technologies to identify best practices, process gaps, risks, and improvement opportunities.
Document current-state processes and develop future-state manufacturing concepts, process flows, workstation designs, material flows, and layouts.
Develop process requirements, equipment concepts, scopes of work, technical specifications, and acceptance criteria for manufacturing equipment and tooling.
Work with original equipment manufacturers and other suppliers to develop, evaluate, quote, and select manufacturing solutions that meet operational and technical requirements.
Evaluate proposed solutions using safety, quality, velocity, cost, maintainability, ergonomics, flexibility, capacity, and lifecycle considerations.
Develop and manage project plans, schedules, budgets, risks, deliverables, design reviews, installation activities, validation plans, and launch-readiness actions.
Coordinate with Operations and organizational support groups to ensure that people, processes, equipment, tooling, material, documentation, quality controls, maintenance resources, and facility requirements are ready for implementation and production startup.
Lead or facilitate cross-functional process and design reviews using PFMEA, Control Plans, process flow documentation, risk assessments, error-proofing principles, and other appropriate engineering methods.
Identify potential process failures and implement effective engineering controls that reduce risk and support safe, repeatable, and capable production.
Apply Lean manufacturing principles, including waste elimination, standard work, visual management, line balancing, flow improvement, mistake-proofing, and workplace organization.
Analyze production and process data to identify variation, bottlenecks, constraints, reliability concerns, and opportunities to improve process capability.
Apply structured problem-solving methods such as A3, 8D, DMAIC, root cause analysis, and corrective action planning.
Support equipment runoff, installation, commissioning, production validation, operator and maintenance training, and transition to the receiving organization.
Monitor project and process performance after implementation and lead corrective actions necessary to achieve safety, quality, velocity, cost, and reliability objectives.
Communicate project status, technical recommendations, risks, decisions, and escalation needs to project stakeholders and leadership.
Degree Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, or another related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience where permitted.
What you will 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.
Level Working Knowledge:
Applies critical-thinking techniques to evaluate manufacturing, equipment, process, and project decisions.
Identifies, obtains, organizes, and analyzes relevant technical, operational, cost, and risk information.
Clarifies and prioritizes stakeholder requirements, constraints, assumptions, and concerns.
Evaluates risks, benefits, tradeoffs, and alternatives before recommending a course of action.
Documents decisions, supporting rationale, owners, and follow-up actions for cross-functional alignment.
Lean Manufacturing: Knowledge of philosophy, principles and implementation approaches of lean manufacturing; ability to integrate and implement lean manufacturing philosophy into existing production and management processes.
Level Working Knowledge:
Applies Lean principles to work cell, workstation, line, material-flow, and process design.
Identifies waste, constraints, and flow interruptions and develops practical countermeasures.
Selects and utilizes appropriate Lean tools, techniques, and measurements for process assessment and improvement.
Develops future-state processes using standard work, visual management, line balancing, mistake-proofing, and workplace organization.
Establishes benchmarks and measures of effectiveness for safety, quality, velocity, cost, and process performance.
Manufacturing Processes: Knowledge of existing product manufacturing methods, technologies and processes; ability to execute, plan, manage and monitor the entire manufacturing process.
Level Working Knowledge:
Designs and improves manufacturing processes to achieve safety, quality, velocity, cost, capacity, and reliability objectives.
Develops current-state and future-state manufacturing concepts, process flows, workstation designs, material flows, and layouts.
Develops engineering specifications, process requirements, standards, documentation, and control methods.
Evaluates and integrates new manufacturing technologies, equipment, tooling, and automation into production processes.
Supports equipment installation, commissioning, process validation, production startup, and transition to the receiving organization.
Applies appropriate process monitoring, control, and capability methods to sustain performance.
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 Working Knowledge:
Identifies and clearly defines manufacturing, process, equipment, quality, and project problems.
Uses fact-finding, data analysis, root cause analysis, and diagnostic tools to determine contributing factors and failure modes.
Considers the requirements and perspectives of affected stakeholders when developing resolution alternatives.
Evaluates the risks, benefits, effectiveness, and sustainability of alternative solutions.
Implements and verifies corrective actions using structured problem-solving methods such as A3, 8D, or DMAIC.
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 Working Knowledge:
Leads manufacturing improvement, capital, and New Capital Introduction projects from concept development through implementation and production startup.
Develops and maintains project scope, schedules, budgets, resource requirements, deliverables, and risk mitigation plans.
Coordinates cross-functional teams, suppliers, and stakeholders to achieve project objectives and manufacturing-readiness requirements.
Tracks project performance and drives resolution of technical, commercial, schedule, installation, and startup issues.
Communicates project status, decisions, risks, and escalation needs to stakeholders and leadership.
Additional Requirements
Experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, industrial engineering, production engineering, quality engineering, or capital project implementation.
Demonstrated ability to develop or improve manufacturing processes in a production environment.
Experience applying Lean manufacturing, structured problem solving, and manufacturing process-control principles.
Working knowledge of PFMEA, Control Plans, process flow documentation, root cause analysis, and engineering risk reduction.
Ability to interpret technical drawings, equipment concepts, manufacturing layouts, specifications, and supplier proposals.
Ability to manage multiple project activities, priorities, stakeholders, risks, and deliverables.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to lead technical reviews and communicate recommendations to different organizational levels.
Ability to collaborate across Operations, Quality, Safety, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Engineering, Facilities, and external suppliers.
What Will put you ahead
Experience leading New Capital Introduction, manufacturing industrialization, production launch, capital equipment, or major process implementation projects.
Experience in assembly operations, including workstation design, line balancing, tooling, fastening, material presentation, error proofing, ergonomics, testing, traceability, or automated manufacturing systems.
Experience developing current-state and future-state layouts using AutoCAD, Factory Design Utilities, or comparable layout and modeling tools.
Experience developing technical equipment specifications, requests for quotation, supplier evaluations, design-review documentation, and equipment acceptance criteria.
Experience working directly with OEMs, system integrators, tooling suppliers, or automation providers.
Project management experience involving scope, schedule, budget, risk, supplier coordination, installation, and production startup.
Experience leading PFMEA, Control Plan, process design, safety, ergonomics, or manufacturing-readiness reviews.
Experience with automation, robotics, machine vision, digital manufacturing, simulation, data analytics, or Industry 4.0 technologies.
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, Project Management Professional certification, or comparable demonstrated experience.
Experience with statistical analysis, process capability, Power BI, Minitab, or comparable manufacturing analysis tools.
Summary Pay Range:
$97,530.00 - $146,290.00Compensation 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 22, 2026 - September 28, 2026Any 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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