Manufacturing Project Engineer

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.

This Manufacturing Project Engineer role serves as a global manufacturing engineering leader for Rigid Frame Truck (RFT) Heavy Structures and is embedded within the Product Engineering organization to ensure manufacturability is integrated into the design process from concept through production. In this role, you will lead the development, deployment, and sustainment of common manufacturing processes across the company's global manufacturing footprint, with responsibility spanning structural fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, and inspection. You will collaborate with Product Engineering, regional manufacturing teams, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and automation specialists to standardize methods, equipment strategies, tooling concepts, quality systems, and operational best practices. Your work will improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and capacity performance while enabling repeatable, scalable manufacturing solutions across RFT facilities worldwide.

Additional Information:

• Primary Location: Decatur, IL.

• Relocation Assistance: Domestic relocation assistance is available.

• Travel Requirements: Up to 20% travel (domestic and/or international) may be required.

• Sponsorship: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Why This Role Is Impactful:

• Manufacturing Engineering Leadership Within Product Development – You will serve as the manufacturing engineering expert within the engineering organization, influencing product designs, recommending design changes, and ensuring manufacturing requirements are incorporated early in the development cycle.

• Global Process Commonality Leadership – You will establish and drive common manufacturing processes and standards across RFT facilities worldwide, reducing variation and enabling consistent, efficient execution.

• Structural Fabrication and Welding Excellence – You will define and standardize critical manufacturing methods for large-welded structures, including weld procedures, robotic applications, fixtures, tooling, consumables, distortion control, and inspection requirements.

• Manufacturing Technology and Automation – You will evaluate, develop, and deploy scalable technologies such as robotic welding, automated material handling, dimensional verification systems, offline programming, manufacturing execution systems, and digital work instructions.

• Operational Performance Improvement – You will leverage Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence principles, KPI dashboards, and data analytics to improve throughput, productivity, capacity utilization, quality, and overall manufacturing cost.

• Cross-Functional Global Influence – You will lead collaboration among Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and automation teams to develop common solutions that improve manufacturability, standardize processes, and support enterprise manufacturing strategies.

What You Will Do:

• Lead the development and execution of a global manufacturing process commonality strategy for RFT Heavy Structures, establishing standardized methods, best practices, and scalable manufacturing solutions across global facilities.

• Serve as the manufacturing engineering representative within the Product Engineering organization, advising design engineers on manufacturability, recommending DFM driven design improvements, and helping drive more efficient and standardized products and processes.

• Drive global process standardization for fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, material handling, dimensional inspection, and process control to improve quality, efficiency, operational consistency, and manufacturing readiness.

• Lead capital investment and manufacturing improvement projects, managing scope, budgets, schedules, risks, and stakeholder alignment while delivering