Engineering Project Team Leader - Core Components, Head, Blocks & Housings

Caterpillar; Lafayette (IN); On-site; USD 128,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) plan

Tuition Reimbursement

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. is seeking an experienced engineering leader to drive multiple complex projects within the LPSD Core Components Heads, Blocks, and Housings team.

You will guide new product introductions, source introductions, and continuous improvement efforts across cross-functional groups. You'll oversee scope, timelines, and budgets, mentor engineers, and champion robust design, reliability, and manufacturability.

Qualifications

• Requires a degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or Materials Science or equivalent experience.
• Experience in engine system or component design or manufacturing.
• Proven project management experience with large, multi-stakeholder programs.
• APQP, PPAP, PCN and design releasing experience is preferred.
• Ability to mentor others and lead cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects in New Product Introduction and Continuous Product Improvement.
• Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, and resource needs.
• Coordinate resources across procurement, product development, and manufacturing.
• Oversee project progress, costs, and stakeholder communications.
• Direct project teams and facilitate meetings.
• Apply project strategy to organize plans and deliverables.

Skills

Project management

Team leadership

Requirements analysis

Troubleshooting

Product design

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Education

Engineering degree or related field

Job description

Career Area:

Engineering

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.

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 manufacture 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

This role provides engineering leadership of multiple complex engineering projects within LPSD’s Core Components Heads, Blocks, and Housings team. Projects will require consideration of multiple functions, organizations, products, and value chains. Focus will be on improving heads, blocks, and housing design to meet product quality, supply, offerings, manufacturability, and cost objectives. This role has impact across multiple platforms, guides key technical decisions, and ensures continuing development and innovation within Caterpillar’s global engineering organizations.

What You Will Do

• Lead teams in execution of New Product Introduction, New Source Introduction, and Continuous Product Improvement programs
• Develop and maintain project plans, scope, timelines, resources, deliverables, and product requirements to address product challenges and opportunities within the Heads, Blocks, and Housings team.
• Coordinate resources across the business through engagement and collaboration with procurement, product development groups, value chain, manufacturing, and suppliers.
• Oversee project progress and costs; communicate status with stakeholders and participating functional areas; address and resolve problems. Identify challenges, roadblocks, and associated solutions, and upscale issues and delays to leaders.
• Direct project team; facilitate project meetings, provide team communications, document actions, and ensure accountability across team and stakeholders.
• Utilize project strategy and problem solving methodology to organize project plans, communications, and deliverables to teams and stakeholders.

Degree Requirement

Requires a degree in an accredited Engineering, Computer Science, or Materials Science curriculum or equivalent experience

What You Will Have

Technical Excellence: Knowledge of a given technology and various application methods; ability to develop and provide solutions to significant technical challenges.

Level Extensive Experience:

• Advises others on the assessment and provision of all technical solutions.
• Engages appropriate subject matter resources to effectively resolve technical issues.
• Mentors others to enhance their technical competence and its application to achieve more effective technical solutions.
• Coaches others in promoting, defining, analyzing, and providing superior technical solutions to business problems.
• Provides effective solutions to moderate technical challenges through strong technical competence, effectively examining implications of events and issues.
• Assumes accountability for personal technical performance and holds others responsible for theirs.

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 Expert:

• Champions organization's project management methodology, tools, and techniques.
• Manages multiple high-risk, high-cost projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Coaches others in open communication among project stakeholders.
• Monitors major projects for critical path and actual status versus planned.
• Consults on project planning and management of high-risk, high-impact projects.
• Monitors industry for fresh approaches and tools for project management.

Team Management: Knowledge of effective team building techniques; ability to form and manage effective teams.

Level Extensive Experience:

• Brings projects to closure and ensures capture of what can be learned from the experience.
• Leads the definition of team mission and objectives for a variety of teams.
• Employs appropriate techniques for maintaining team enthusiasm, energy, and focus.
• Ensures that team members are on board, unified, and moving in the same direction.
• Communicates both within the team and to stakeholders.
• Learns and utilizes special talents and work styles of team members.

Requirements Analysis: Knowledge of tools, methods, and techniques of requirement analysis; ability to elicit, analyze and record required business functionality and non-functionality requirements to ensure the success of a system or software development project.

Level Extensive Experience:

• Plays an active or leading role in recording and storing requirement documents in various forms.
• Ensures the successful completion of all major activities, tasks and deliverables pertaining to the requirement analysis stage.
• Supervises the advanced use of requirements analysis tools and services, including prototyping and use cases.
• Produces detailed functional and information requirements models and documentation.
• Trains others on requirements walkthroughs and quality reviews.
• Utilizes automated diagramming tools to ensure traceability of requirements.

Troubleshooting Technical Problems: Knowledge of troubleshooting approaches, tools and techniques; ability to anticipate, detect and resolve technical problems in a manufacturing or product management environment.

Level Extensive Experience:

• Evaluates business impact of failure and the criticality and timing of needed resolution.
• Resolves difficult or high-impact equipment and systems problems.
• Monitors machine performance and history; addresses excessive maintenance or repair needs.
• Coaches others how to resolve integration or communications problems in multi-vendor environment.
• Applies specific techniques for isolating a problem and defining resolution approach.
• Uses advanced diagnostic techniques and tools for unusual or performance-related problems.

Product Design and Development: Knowledge of product features; ability to design, build, and develop a new product, technology, or service from concept through to production.

Level Extensive Experience:

• Develops organizational standards and processes in order to maximize complex product services' efficiency and effectiveness.
• Creates and introduces new techniques that expedite or simplify the development process.
• Supervises the management of multiple and diverse types of products or services.
• Develops proof-of-concept exercises to prove or disprove validity of proposed products.
• Advises on the appropriate solutions to complex product design and development problems.
• Designs working prototypes of a variety of proposed products or services.

What Will Put You Ahead

• Strong communication, presentation, and collaboration skills
• Previous experience in engine system or component design or manufacturing
• Engine or component testing and validation experience
• Demonstrated project management experience and results
• APQP, PPAP, PCN, and design releasing experience

Summary Pay Range: $128,470.00 - $192,710.00

Compensation 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 25, 2026 - October 8, 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.