Senior Test/Validation Engineer - Electrification

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.

The Senior Validation/Test Engineer role is with the Caterpillar Electrification + Energy Solutions Division in Peoria Illinois.  The successful candidate will assume responsibility for delivering successful validation plans for Power Conversion products and systems that enable electrification-based solutions for our customers. Primary responsibilities will include developing product risk assessments (design Failure Modes and Effects Analysis) DFMEA, validation test plans and product validation metrics for new product introduction and in-production product improvement projects.   

Responsibilities 

• Lead the development and maintenance of electrification product validation plans:
  • Coordinate and align DFMEA and validation test preparation project plan timelines with product introduction teams.
  • Lead product design teams in the successful development of DFMEAs. Ensure that product requirements align with validation test plans.
  • Continued collaboration with product development and test execution teams, revising DFMEAs with new risk discovery.
  • Develop reliability targets for new products.
  • Create DFMEA driven validation project plans, as well as test procedures, collaborating with
  • Support product design teams in analysis of test failure discoveries.  Lead creation of new test plans to support validation of design improvement iterations.
  • Preparation and reporting of Product Validation metrics (risk criticality, reliability prediction, testing status) to NPI leadership and team members.

What you have:

Degree Requirement: Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering (Electrical preferred)

Technical Excellence:  Industry experience, analyzing the failure mechanisms of power conversion technology and applying problem solving to identify solution plans. Electrification experience strongly preferred.
Level Extensive Experience:
•Experience developing DFMEAs and pre-validation test planning with technical teams

• Experience writing technical documentation, specifically test procedures
• Mentors others to enhance their technical competence and its application to achieve more effective technical solutions.

• Proficiency in Minitab, Pro-E, PLATO e1ns preferred

• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 ecosystem (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Visio, Teams, SharePoint)

Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Processes large quantities of detailed information with high levels of accuracy.
• Productively balances speed and accuracy.
• Implements a variety of cross-checking approaches and mechanisms.
• Demonstrates expertise in quality assurance tools, techniques, and standards.
• Employs techniques for motivating employees to meet or exceed accuracy goals.


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 Extensive Experience:
• Differentiates assumptions, perspectives, and historical frameworks.
• Evaluates past decisions for insights to improve decision-making process.
• Assesses and validates decision options and points and predicts their potential impact.
• Advises others in analyzing and synthesizing relevant data and assessing alternatives.
• Uses effective decision-making approaches such as consultative, command, or consensus.
• Ensures that assumptions and received wisdom are objectively analyzed in decisions.

Project Management: Ability to effectively assemble and lead diverse project teams to achieve common goals and to deliver timely results
Level Extensive Experience:
• Utilizes preferred tools, techniques and methods for estimating project cost and time.
• Plans, estimates, staffs, organizes and monitors significant projects.
• Identifies risks and vulnerabilities; creates contingency plans.
• Conducts regular and ad-hoc project reviews with pro