Manager Manufacturing Engineering

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Relocation assistance

Tuition reimbursement

Career development

Incentive bonus

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. is seeking an Manufacturing Engineering Manager in Lafayette, IN to lead a team of project managers delivering capital projects that install new machinery, tooling, automation, and supporting infrastructure across manufacturing operations.

The role requires strong manufacturing engineering leadership, disciplined project management, cross-functional influence, and end-to-end accountability from concept through handoff to operations.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a team of project managers on capital equipment, automation, or facility infra projects.
• Strong knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, root cause analysis, PFMEA, and continuous improvement methods.
• Experience with project management systems, capacity analysis, layout tools, MES, or data visualization.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop project managers responsible for capital equipment, automation, and facility projects.
• Ensure projects meet safety, quality, cost, schedule, and production readiness goals.
• Review capacity, cycle times, labor, materials, bottlenecks, and contingency plans to meet output targets.
• Foster accountability, collaboration, urgency, and data-driven decision making across teams.
• Mentor project managers through coaching, feedback, and stretch assignments to build leadership capability.

Skills

Project management

Capital projects

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

Root cause analysis

PFMEA

Data visualization

Manufacturing systems

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

MES software

Layout tools

Capacity analysis

Data visualization

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

Manufacturing

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.

Job Summary

The Manufacturing Engineering Manager is responsible for leading a team of project managers accountable for planning, executing, and delivering capital projects that install new machinery, equipment, tooling, automation, and supporting infrastructure across manufacturing operations. This role establishes the team vision, operating rhythm, project governance, and performance expectations required to safely deliver equipment installations that achieve defined capacity, quality, cost, schedule, and operational readiness targets.

The position requires strong manufacturing engineering leadership, disciplined project management, cross-functional influence, supplier coordination, and the ability to hold project teams accountable from concept development through design, funding, procurement, installation, commissioning, validation, production release, and final handoff to operations.

What You Will Do

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of project managers responsible for capital equipment, machinery installation, process improvement, automation, tooling, and facility readiness projects.
• Work with team to ensure projects achieve project deliverables, including, safety requirements, quality objectives, cost performance, schedule commitments, production readiness, and target capacity execution.
• Review project capacity assumptions, equipment cycle times, labor requirements, material flow, layout impacts, bottlenecks, and contingency plans to confirm projects can deliver required production output.
• Develop a culture of accountability, collaboration, urgency, continuous improvement, data-driven decision making, and ownership for project results.
• Develop project managers through coaching, performance feedback, technical guidance, and stretch assignments that strengthen project leadership capability.

Education

• College degree in a technical curriculum; equivalent experience may be considered where appropriate.

What You Will Have

Capacity Planning & Management - MFG: Working knowledge of tools, approaches and practices for determining production demand and ability to manage resources needed to provide satisfactory levels of service.

Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Working knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.

Lean Manufacturing: Extensive 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.

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

Performance Management: Working knowledge of successful performance management techniques; ability to apply organization's performance management system, practices, and tools to developing and improving individual, team, and organizational performance.

Problem Solving: Extensive knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.

Top Candidates Will Also Have

• Experience managing capital projects involving new machines, automation systems, machining equipment, or facility infrastructure.
• Experience developing project business cases, capital forecasts, cost estimates, supplier specifications, technical evaluations, and project schedules.
• Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, root cause analysis, PFMEA, error proofing, standard work, and continuous improvement methods.
• Experience using project management systems, capacity analysis tools, layout tools, manufacturing execution systems, or data visualization tools.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence across operations, engineering, maintenance, quality, finance, safety, supply chain, and supplier organizations.

Additional Information

• Travel requirements may be up to 15% - Domestic and International
• This position will be located in Lafayette, IN
• Domestic relocation is available
• Sponsorship is NOT available for this role

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

$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

• 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

August 28, 2026 - September 10, 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.