Design Engineer

Caterpillar Inc.; Lafayette (IN); On-site; USD 89,000 - 134,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) savings plans

Paid time off (Vacation, Holidays)

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. in Lafayette, Indiana, is seeking a Design Engineer for the Air Systems team. You will design, validate, and support air management system components across valves and related products, delivering safe, reliable, and cost-effective solutions with cross-functional collaboration.

You will work with NTI, NPI, CPI initiatives and maintain ownership of design activities, while learning from experienced engineers and suppliers to strengthen product maturity and production readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an accredited Engineering curriculum. Mechanical, Agricultural, Aerospace, Materials, or a closely related engineering discipline is preferred.
• Significant relevant experience and/or a two-year technical degree may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, validate, and support air management system components.
• Create and maintain engineering designs, models, drawings, and specifications.
• Analyze data, resolve technical issues, and drive quality, cost, and reliability improvements.
• Collaborate with suppliers and cross-functional teams to support product development and production readiness.
• Participate in testing, validation, design reviews, and hardware evaluations.
• Demonstrate strong ownership, initiative, and project execution skills.

Skills

Analytical Thinking

Effective Communications

Troubleshooting

Product Design

CAD/Engineering

Project/Priorities

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Two-year technical degree considered

Tools

Creo CAD

Job description

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.

Career Area

Engineering

Job Description

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc. When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team that cares not just about the work we do, but also about each other. We are makers, problem solvers, and future world builders 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, we build a better world.

Job Summary

The Large Power Systems Division has an exciting opportunity for a Design Engineer to join the Air Systems team. This position is focused on the product maintenance, development, quality, cost, and performance of air valves supporting large engine applications. The successful candidate will support New Technology Introduction (NTI), New Product Introduction (NPI), Continuous Product Improvement (CPI), assurance of supply, and product maintenance activities across Air Shutoff, Wastegate, Compressor Bypass, and Sequential Valve systems.

As a Design Engineer, you will contribute to the integration, development, validation, and ongoing support of air valve components and systems. Working alongside experienced engineers, suppliers, manufacturing teams, purchasing partners, and product groups, you will help deliver safe, reliable, and cost-effective solutions while developing your technical expertise, engineering judgment, and product ownership capabilities.

How You Will Make An Impact

• Engineering Growth & Development – Build technical expertise in air valve systems while developing engineering judgment, technical communication skills, and increasing ownership of engineering work.
• Hands‑On Problem Solving – Apply structured problem‑solving methods to investigate technical issues, analyze data, and support engineering recommendations that improve product quality, reliability, performance, and cost.
• Increasing Ownership & Autonomy – Learn systems and processes quickly while taking on greater responsibility and accountability for engineering execution.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration – Partner with manufacturing, suppliers, purchasing, product groups, and fellow engineers to deliver successful product outcomes.
• Long‑Term Technical Impact – Support critical product maintenance and development activities while helping strengthen the Air Valves team's engineering capability.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, validate, and support air management system components.
• Create and maintain engineering designs, models, drawings, and specifications.
• Analyze data, resolve technical issues, and drive quality, cost, and reliability improvements.
• Collaborate with suppliers and cross‑functional teams to support product development and production readiness.
• Participate in testing, validation, design reviews, and hardware evaluations.
• Demonstrate strong ownership, initiative, and project execution skills.

Degree Requirement

Bachelor's degree in an accredited Engineering curriculum. Mechanical, Agricultural, Aerospace, Materials, or a closely related engineering discipline is preferred.

Candidates with significant relevant experience and a two‑year technical degree may also be considered.

What Skills You Will Have

Analytical Thinking (Working Knowledge)

• Identifies relevant information from multiple technical sources to support engineering decisions.
• Evaluates alternatives and applies engineering judgment to technical challenges.
• Performs engineering calculations and uses data to support recommendations and problem resolution.
• Applies analytical thinking to product maintenance, development, quality, cost, and performance improvement activities.

Effective Communications (Working Knowledge)

• Communicates technical information clearly through written, verbal, and presentation formats.
• Summarizes technical findings, risks, test results, and recommendations for a variety of audiences.
• Collaborates effectively with suppliers, manufacturing teams, product groups, and engineering partners.
• Demonstrates strong listening skills, coachability, and openness to feedback.

Troubleshooting Technical Problems (Working Knowledge)

• Applies structured approaches, tools, and techniques to investigate product and manufacturing concerns.
• Uses root cause analysis methods to identify, evaluate, and resolve technical issues.
• Supports issue investigations through testing, inspection, validation activities, and data analysis.
• Applies exposure to metallurgy and fatigue‑related engineering concepts when evaluating technical concerns.

Product Design and Development (Working Knowledge)

• Supports component and system development from requirements and concept development through validation and production.
• Contributes to engineering activities including requirements definition, design concepts, engineering analysis, design selection, and validation.
• Supports NTI, NPI, CPI, assurance‑of‑supply, and product maintenance initiatives.
• Learns and applies engineering processes, standards, and design controls to support successful product outcomes.

Computer‑Aided Design and Engineering (Working Knowledge)

• Uses engineering tools to support component design and development activities.
• Creates and revises 3D models, engineering drawings, specifications, and related documentation.
• Applies working knowledge of tolerance application, engineering drawings, and design‑analysis tools.
• Supports engineering documentation in accordance with applicable standards and design requirements.

Managing Multiple Priorities (Working Knowledge)

• Organizes work effectively across multiple assignments and competing priorities.
• Met commitments while maintaining quality, timing, and execution expectations.
• Communicates project status, schedule changes, risks, and support needs in a timely manner.
• Demonstrates accountability, initiative, ownership, and increasing independence in completing assigned work.

Top Candidates Will Also Have

• Internship, co‑op, project, or early‑career experience related to mechanical component design, engines, fluid systems, valves, actuators, or thermal systems.
• Experience with 3D CAD software such as Creo or comparable modeling and drawing tools.
• Exposure to design reviews, FMEA, validation planning, test‑data analysis, or structured problem‑solving methods.
• Experience working with suppliers, manufacturing, purchasing, or other cross‑functional partners.
• Familiarity with castings, machined components, fabrications, bushings, shafts, linkages, seals, or other mechanical hardware.
• Hands‑on mechanical experience gained through work, projects, labs, or personal pursuits.
• Demonstrated curiosity, humility, initiative, attention to detail, and willingness to learn through hands‑on technical work.
• Strong self‑directed work habits and the ability to take ownership of assignments.

Additional Information

• Location: Lafayette, Indiana (preferred) or Mossville, Illinois
• Less than 10% domestic and international travel
• Relocation assistance is not available for this position
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position

Final Details

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.

EEO/AA Employer. All qualified individuals - Including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities - are encouraged to apply.

This Job Description 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.

Summary Pay Range

$89,210.00 - $133,810.00

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

Posting Dates

September 21, 2026 - October 4, 2026

Any 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.