Manufacturing Project Engineer - Assembly

Caterpillar Brazil; Peoria (IL); On-site; USD 128,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Paid time off

401(k) savings plans

Health Savings Account

Flexible Spending Accounts

Career Development

Incentive bonus

Disability benefits

Life Insurance

Parental leave

Tuition Reimbursement

These benefits also apply to part-time

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. in East Peoria, IL is seeking a Manufacturing Project Engineer to lead initiatives across the East Peoria assembly footprint. You will drive productivity, reduce costs, and optimize floor space while ensuring safety, quality and reliability of operations.

You will coordinate with Engineering, Operations, Logistics and Safety to implement line integrations, automation readiness, and asset utilization improvements, contributing to PQVC goals and long-term manufacturing excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical or Industrial engineering or equivalent.
• Experience in manufacturing engineering and process improvements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering and planning support to improve safety, quality, capacity and cost.
• Drive manufacturing projects, capital planning and line changes.
• Optimize processes through line balancing, layouts, and material flow.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to implement footprint improvements.
• Identify improvements across design, layouts and automation readiness.
• Support throughput, utilization, safety and quality improvements.
• Develop cost justifications for capital projects and new equipment.
• Create footprint strategies to maximize capacity and automation readiness.

Skills

Capacity planning

CAD

Decision making

Manufacturing engineering

Project management

Technical troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing/Mechanical/Industrial

Tools

CAD software

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.

Hear about the Caterpillar Experience for yourself.

Role Definition

The US Drivetrain organization requires dedicated Manufacturing Project Engineer support to sustain the Advanced Planning Team and execute critical manufacturing initiatives across the East Peoria assembly footprint. This Manufacturing Project Engineer role will provide focused technical leadership for projects that improve productivity, reduce cost, optimize floor space and strengthen readiness for future automation. This position will help convert operational needs into sustainable manufacturing solutions by improving asset utilization, supporting line integration opportunities and enabling more efficient use of resources. Maintaining this capability is essential to deliver assembly improvements while protecting safety, quality and operational continuity.

What you will do

• Lead Manufacturing Engineering and Planning support to improve safety, quality, capacity, cost, and overall assembly performance.
• Drive major manufacturing projects, capital planning, equipment/process changes, and supplier coordination to improve productivity and support long-term PQVC goals.
• Optimize assembly processes through line balancing, layout improvements, inventory/kitting strategies, equipment utilization, and problem resolution with shop teams.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Operations, Logistics, Supply Chain, Product Change Control and Safety to execute footprint and material flow improvements.
• Identify improvements across product design, assembly processes, facility layouts and material flow to increase capability and efficiency.
• Support throughput, utilization, safety and quality improvements with manufacturing engineers and operations teams.
• Develop cost justifications for line integrations, capital projects and new assembly equipment.
• Create assembly footprint strategies that optimize capacity, product compatibility, line merge opportunities and automation readiness.

Degree Requirement

Bachelor’s degree (Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial concentration) or equivalent experience desired.

What you must have (skills)

• Capacity Planning & Management – MFG: Knowledge of tools, approaches and practices for determining production demand and ability to manage resources needed to provide satisfactory levels of service.
• Computer-Aided Design & Engineering: Knowledge of tools and techniques of specialized graphics programs; ability to produce, analyze, simulate and test product design drafts.
• Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
• Engineering – Manufacturing: Knowledge of processes, techniques and methods of engineering in a manufacturing environment; ability to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems and processes that safely realize a desired objective or invention.
• 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.
• Technical Troubleshooting: Knowledge of technical troubleshooting approaches, tools, and techniques; ability to anticipate, recognize, and resolve technical issues on hardware, software, application, or operation.

Additional Information

This position will close at 11:59 p.m. on 09/07/2026. This position will be located onsite 5 days a week in East Peoria, IL (Building KK). Domestic relocation is Available. VISA Sponsorship is NOT Available. Travel requirements will be less than 10%.

This position requires working onsite five days a week. Relocation is available for this position. Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

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

Posting Dates

August 31, 2026 - September 7, 2026

Additional Hiring Info

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.

Equal Opportunity

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.

Culture and Values

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.