Engineering Project Team Leader – Heavy Structures

Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 128,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Paid time off

401(k) savings plans

Health Savings Account

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Career Development

Incentive bonus

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. is seeking an Engineering Project Team Leader for Hydraulic Mining Shovels in Tucson, AZ.

You will lead design, analysis, testing, and cost improvements across heavy structural components, partnering with suppliers and internal teams to deliver high-quality solutions. Ideal candidates have strong leadership, teamwork, and communication skills, plus hands-on experience with heavy equipment, welding, and manufacturing processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an accredited Engineering curriculum or a Master’s degree in Engineering/Technical curriculum.
• Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities with excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Experience in design, analysis (FEA), and development of heavy structural systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead both new product design (NPI) and improvements for heavy structures/components.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams; validate via FEA, testing, field trials.
• Maintain zero-defect quality mindset while meeting timelines and cost goals.
• Coach and onboard engineers locally and overseas; manage project scopes and risks.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders across multiple functions.

Skills

Project management

Team leadership

Communication

FEA

Design

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Master’s degree in Engineering/Technical field

Tools

FEA tools

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.

The Tracked Products Engineering Heavy Structures team is currently seeking an Engineering Project Team Leader for Hydraulic Mining Shovels product which includes heavy structures components such as booms, sticks, upper frame, carbody, track roller frames and more. Engineers on the team gain broad exposure to design, analysis, test, manufacturing, and supplier collaboration. The selected candidate will play an important role in leading and coaching engineers to develop and continuously improve the features, process, quality, and cost.

What You Will Do:

• The Engineering Project Team Leader for the Tracked Products Engineering Heavy Structures team will lead both new product design (NPI) and design improvements to current and legacy products (CPI/NSI/Maintenance) for all the major heavy structural components.
• The Engineering Project Team Leader will work with their team and business partners on design concepts, collaboration with suppliers and internal manufacturing, along with validation methods including FEA, test, and field trials.
• This position will focus first and foremost on product and process quality with a zero-defect mindset while also trying to hit program timeline and cost goals.
• The Engineering Project Team Leader will need strong communication skills and great interpersonal skills to interact with external suppliers, engineering teams, the platform team, purchasing teams, and global manufacturing team. In addition, the team leader needs a strong technical background to help train and onboard team members locally and overseas.

What Skills Will You 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Troubleshooting Technical Problems:

Knowledge of troubleshooting approaches, tools and techniques; ability to anticipate, detect and resolve technical problems in a manufacturing environment.

• 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.

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in an accredited Engineering curriculum OR a master’s degree in an accredited Engineering / Technical curriculum

Top Candidates Will Also Have:

• Mechanical, Civil, or Agricultural Engineering degree.
• Strong product knowledge of Hydraulic Mining Shovels, Electric Rope Shovels, and/or Draglines.
• Proven experience in the design, analysis (FEA), and development of heavy structural systems and components.
• Demonstrated success leading engineering efforts through all phases of a major New Product Introduction (NPI) and Continuous Product Improvement (CPI) programs.
• Demonstrated leadership, coaching, and mentoring capabilities, with excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Practical hands-on experience with heavy equipment, machinery, manufacturing processes, welding, or related industrial applications.

Additional Information:

• This position will be located in Tucson, AZ, with a requirement to work on-site full-time at a Caterpillar facility.
• Relocation assistance is available for this position.
• This position may require up to 10% travel.
• Visa sponsorship, international assignments, or payroll transfers are not available for this role.

Posting Details:

09/17/2026 - 09/24/2026

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:

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.