Senior Associate Engineer - Mechanical Design

Caterpillar Brazil; Mossville (IL); On-site; USD 89,000 - 134,000; 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

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. in Mossville, IL seeks a Mechanical Design Sr. Associate Engineer to help design, develop and validate inverter products within the Integrated Drivetrain Energy Solutions division.

You will work on mechanical components, assemblies and thermal management, coordinating with electrical and manufacturing teams for robust power electronics. The role emphasizes DFx, product testing, vibration and thermal durability, and design reviews.

Qualifications

• Information capture processes to document business information auditable and retrievable.
• Analytical thinking to determine root causes and propose solutions.
• Effective communication concepts and techniques for conveying ideas clearly.
• Troubleshooting approaches to resolve technical problems in manufacturing/product development.
• Design for manufacturability guidelines to optimize designs and operations.
• Engineering processes and methods in a manufacturing environment.
• Design, plan and execute testing strategies to ensure product quality.

Responsibilities

• Develop and support mechanical designs for inverter products meeting performance, durability, and manufacturability requirements.
• Create and maintain mechanical models, drawings, and design documentation using Creo.
• Support thermal management features like heat sinks and cooling solutions.
• Collaborate with electrical, controls, manufacturing, and supplier teams for integrated designs.
• Participate in design reviews, testing, and issue resolution including vibration and durability evaluations.
• Apply mechanical design fundamentals to improve quality, reliability, efficiency, and ease of assembly.

Skills

Information Capture

Analytical Thinking

Effective Communications

Troubleshooting Technical Problems

Design for Manufacturability

Engineering - MFG

Product Testing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Creo

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.

About IDES

Caterpillar’s Integrated Drivetrain Energy Solutions (IDES) division will focus on delivering advanced electrified power train, zero-emissions products/technologies, and the solutions and services associated with these technologies. Focus areas include batteries, fuel cells, motors, inverters, micro grid controllers, charging, energy storage systems, lifecycle solutions/services and integration of components for ePowertrain solutions across industries. We are looking for top talent to build and scale the next generation of technologies, products and services to help our customers build a better—more sustainable—world. We need self-motivated, intelligent and team-oriented individuals to make our plans a reality. Individuals with high emotional intelligence, humility and openness to discovery will thrive in the teams we are building.

Job Summary

This Mechanical Design Sr. Associate Engineer role is located in Mossville, IL and supports Caterpillar’s Integrated Drivetrain Energy Solutions division. The position is mechanically focused and will contribute to the design, development, and validation of inverter products, including mechanical components, assemblies, and thermal management solutions.

What You Will Do

• Develop and support mechanical designs for inverter products within Caterpillar’s Integrated Drivetrain Energy Solutions division, ensuring designs meet performance, durability, and manufacturability requirements.
• Create and maintain mechanical models, drawings, and design documentation using tools such as Creo, with attention to dimensional tolerances and engineering standards.
• Support the design and validation of mechanical components and assemblies, including thermal management features such as heat sinks and related cooling solutions.
• Partner with electrical, controls, manufacturing, and supplier teams to ensure mechanical designs are integrated effectively into power electronics systems.
• Participate in design reviews, testing, and issue resolution activities, including vibration, thermal, and durability evaluations for inverter products.
• Apply mechanical design fundamentals and manufacturing considerations to improve product quality, reliability, efficiency, and ease of assembly.

What You Will Have

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering
• Information Capture: Working knowledge of the methods, channels and processes to obtain needed information; ability to identify, capture and document relevant business information in an auditable, organized, understandable and easily retrievable manner.
• Standard Operating Procedures: Working knowledge of established standard operating procedures (SOP); ability to design, implement and evaluate standard operating procedures affecting daily and strategic business operations in order to increase operational efficiency.
• Analytical Thinking: Working knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.
• Effective Communications: Working knowledge and understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.
• Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Working knowledge of design for manufacturability guidelines, methodologies, and use cases; ability to use this knowledge to optimize product designs and manufacturing operations.
• Engineering - MFG: Working 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.
• Product Testing: Working knowledge of product testing approaches, techniques and tools; ability to design, plan and execute testing strategies and tactics to ensure product quality at all stages of manufacturing.
• Troubleshooting Technical Problems: Working knowledge of troubleshooting approaches, tools and techniques; ability to anticipate, detect and resolve technical problems in a manufacturing or product development environment.

What Will Set You Apart

• Experience within assembly or manufacturing
• Experience with heat transfer

This position is located in Mossville, IL and requires 5-day a week on-site availability.

This position offers domestic relocation.

This position does not offer visa sponsorship.

Travel is expected up to 20% of the time.

Summary Pay Range

$89,210.00 - $133,810.00 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: September 17, 2026 - October 1, 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.

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.