Manufacturing Engineering and Automation Manager

Caterpillar Brazil; Peoria (IL); On-site; USD 148,000 - 222,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) savings plans

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Career Development

Incentive bonus

Parental leave

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. in East Peoria, IL, seeks a Manufacturing Engineering and Automation Manager to lead a manufacturing engineering organization focused on safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing and assembly processes.

You will translate product demand and capacity into advanced plans for equipment, automation, tooling, plant layouts, infrastructure, and capital investment. This role drives lean integration, automation technology, and long-term business needs, partnering across

Qualifications

• Experience leading manufacturing engineering in production environments.
• Ability to translate demand and forecasts into capacity and resources.
• Lean manufacturing principles applied to design and processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the manufacturing engineering team executing advanced planning for all operations.
• Translate demand forecasts into capacity, space, and capital plans.
• Develop and execute a roadmap for manufacturing and automation improvements.
• Evaluate and integrate equipment, automation, robotics, and controls.
• Collaborate with functions to deliver production-ready solutions.
• Apply lean principles to cell design, layouts, and workflow.

Skills

Manufacturing engineering

Advanced planning

Lean manufacturing

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

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. Manufacturing Engineering and Automation Manager

Location:

East Peoria, Illinois

Travel:

Up to 5%

Relocation Assistance:

Available

Visa Sponsorship:

Not Available

Job Summary

As the Manufacturing Engineering and Automation Manager, you will lead a manufacturing engineering organization responsible for developing safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing and assembly processes. You will translate product demand and capacity requirements into advanced manufacturing plans for equipment, automation, tooling, plant layouts, infrastructure, and capital investment. This role offers the opportunity to shape the future of manufacturing by integrating automation technology with lean processes, production priorities, and long-term business needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the manufacturing engineering team executing advanced planning for all manufacturing operations (Fabrication, Machining, Assembly etc..)
• Translate demand forecasts, product programs, and production schedules into short-term and long-term plans for capacity, equipment, space, tooling, infrastructure, resources, and capital investment.
• Develop and execute an advanced manufacturing and automation roadmap that improves safety, quality, velocity, reliability, capacity, and cost.
• Lead the evaluation, selection, integration, installation, validation, and continuous improvement of manufacturing equipment, industrial automation, robotics, machine controls, and related technologies.
• Partner with operations, product engineering, maintenance, quality, safety, facilities, supply chain, information technology, procurement, and equipment suppliers to deliver production-ready manufacturing solutions.
• Apply lean manufacturing principles to work-cell design, process flow, plant layouts, material movement, equipment utilization, standard work, and automation deployment.
• Build organizational capability by setting clear priorities, coaching manufacturing engineers, developing technical standards, managing performance, and leading the resolution of complex manufacturing problems.

Required Skills

• Manufacturing engineering: Extensive knowledge of manufacturing processes, assembly methods, equipment, tooling, layouts, work standards, and production infrastructure.
• Advanced planning: Demonstrated ability to translate product demand and production forecasts into capacity, resource, equipment, space, cost, and implementation requirements.
• Lean manufacturing: Experience integrating lean principles into manufacturing processes, work cells, layouts, performance measures, and continuous-improvement plans.
• Leadership and problem-solving: Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams, develop employees, make informed decisions, challenge assumptions, assess alternatives, and resolve complex operational problems.
• Education and experience: A degree or equivalent experience is desired, with relevant experience leading manufacturing engineering work in a production environment.

Preferred Skills

• Experience leading a manufacturing engineering team in a complex, capital-intensive, heavy-equipment, industrial-equipment, automotive, agricultural-equipment, aerospace, or similarly advanced manufacturing environment.
• Experience developing multi-year manufacturing technology, capacity, equipment, or automation plans.
• Experience integrating industrial automation, robotics, programmable logic controllers, machine controls, machine vision, collaborative automation, or automated material-handling systems.
• Experience leading capital-equipment projects from business case and technical specification through installation, validation, production ramp-up, and performance review.
• Experience working with equipment manufacturers, automation integrators, technical suppliers, or multi-vendor manufacturing environments.
• Knowledge of plant layout, work-cell design, line balancing, process validation, production readiness, equipment reliability, machine safety, and manufacturing application systems.
• Lean, Six Sigma, project-management, automation, controls, or other relevant technical certification.

Pay Range

$147,760.00 - $221,640.00

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

August 28, 2026 - September 13, 2026

Additional Details

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.

Company Culture

There’s more to work at Caterpillar than just the work itself. We hire smart, friendly people and it shows in our culture. We hold ourselves to high standards and make sure our values of integrity, excellence, teamwork, commitment and sustainability come to life in the way we work. We make sure our employees feel continuously challenged while also supported. We provide professional growth opportunities, including leadership programs. We celebrate the diversity of our team, while also working together as one Caterpillar. Our culture, like everything at our company, is made possible by each employee’s contribution. Person by person, we create the environment we work in, and we are proud of the Caterpillar we’ve built.