Manufacturing Engineer -Fabrication

Career Area:
Manufacturing
:
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Role Definition
Provides technical expertise necessary to design all aspects of production, costs, quality, compliance to safety guidelines, and environmental requirements for manufacturing (Fabrication function).
Responsibilities

• Identifying and implementing enhancements and modifications to complex manufacturing operations equipment and processes.
• Monitoring sophisticated equipment and process reliability; identifying and addressing problem areas.
• Providing direct supervision, coaching and development for operations technical staff and support areas.
• Leading engineering support on planning, development, operation, and maintenance of equipment, processes, or facilities.
• Participate in early-stage product development and communicate expectations and ensure the successful capture of Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Test, Installation & Service requirements.
• Apply DFx, APQP (manufacturing, quality, sourcing, service and cost) methods into new product designs. Work with NPI engineering to integrate DFx principles early in the design process and promote a concurrent engineering approach throughout the organization.
• Conduct manufacturing readiness assessments. Review engineering drawings and technical documentation to ensure all requirements are met before transition to manufacturing and supply chain.
• Develop and implement fabrication and painting processes in line with latest technology
• Evaluate projects and prepare feasibility studies to define desired results, assess value proposition and determine project plans
• Perform capital forecasting correlation and reporting as it relates to new product introduction, product capacity increases, machine replacement and process continuous improvement
• Plan and develop complex tack fixtures from concept to manufacturing
• Design and Develop Manufacturing Layout with Optimized flow and manufacturing density
• Ability to develop project schedules for end-to-end fabrication and painting processes
• Conduct regular project status meetings with team and relevant stakeholders to communicate and coordinate activities.
• Deliver new products on-time, within budget, and at expected quality and reliability levels.
• Perform analyses to establish full production MLBT cost expectations (material, labor, burden, tooling).
• Set initial build plans, drive material readiness with supply chain and evaluate constraints.
• Act as the manufacturing liaison to Engineering team and Operations for resolving technical problems and provide rapid prototyping support.
• Ability to perform weld process planning and qualification of process and personnel as per CAT standards
• Identify & develop key manufacturing partners, verify technical capability and ensure vendors can support full-scale production ramps. Create Statements of Work and prepare Requests for Quote.
• Coordinate factory acceptance test requirements and execution.
• Provide a feedback loop to Engineering and Supply Chain to capture lessons learned from product rollouts and provide recommendations for future designs and processes.
• Ability to visualize, propose and implement latest automation technologies for fabrication
  

Degree Requirement
Mechanical Engineering with 10 to 12 years of experience desired
Skill Descriptors
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.
  

Judgment and Decision Making: Knowledge of the decision-making process; ability to carefully evaluate the impact of emerging business situations and choose the best path forward communicating actions and activities that maximize organizational performance.
Level Working Knowledge:

• Discerns between "signal" and "noise" when considering courses of action.
• Selects the right activities to work on from a range of competing priorities.
• Stands by decisions in the face of conflict or unexpected outcome.
• Makes the transition from evaluation to conclusion readily and in a timely manner.
• Revisits decisions when appropriate, but infrequently and without disrupting focus.
  

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.
Level Working Knowledge:

• 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.
• Explains benchmarks and measures of effectiveness of lean.
  

Manufacturing Equipment: Knowledge of the electrical, mechanical and logistics equipment used in manufacturing; ability to safely operate, maintain, update and store them.
Level Working Knowledge:

• Performs routine maintenance: cleaning, replacing defective or worn parts.
• Performs basic care and safety considerations for a specific type of manufacturing equipment.
• Participates in setting up new machines and testing according to manufacturers specifications.
• Uses standard diagnostic tools and techniques; resolves common problems.
• Conducts routine inspections; checks machine performance and equipment safeguards; reports standards violations.
  

Manufacturing Processes: Fabrication nowledge of existing product manufacturing methods, technologies and processes; ability to execute, plan, manage and monitor the entire manufacturing process.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Advises others using industry experience and benchmarks for methodology effectiveness.
• Develops best practices documentation for all major activities and tasks.

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• 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.
• Evaluates benefits, drawbacks and appropriateness of alternative processes and technologies.
  

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.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Consults on the use of new tools and techniques for safety protection.
• Performs safety inspections to assure compliance with OSHA requirements.
• Designs and implements emergency response processes and procedures.
• Promotes workplace safety among supervisors and workers; communicates safety rules and regulations.
• 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.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Consults on development and implementation of cross-functional standards.
• Participates in the development of organizational policies and practices.
• 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 Management Process - MFG: Knowledge of manufacturing problem management processes, methodologies and techniques; ability to use a disciplined approach to bringing that problem to a successful resolution.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Evaluates alternative approaches to resolving a customer problem.
• Receives, clarifies, and resolves a variety of standard and atypical problems.
• Implements the processes and activities for handling unusual problems.
• Advises others on the process and associated costs for different types of problems.
• Monitors and improves problem reporting, tracking, escalation, and resolution.
• Participates in trend and root cause analysis to identify and address recurring problems.
  

This is intended as a general guide to the job duties for this position and is intended for the purpose of establishing the specific salary grade. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive summary of all responsibilities, duties and effort required of employees assigned to this job. At the discretion of management, this description may be changed at any time to address the evolving needs of the organization. It is expressly not intended to be a comprehensive list of “essential job functions” as that term is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Relocation is available for this position.
Posting Dates:
May 12, 2025 - May 22, 2025
Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO).
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