Senior Engineer-Validation

Caterpillar Inc.; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 113,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Paid time off

401(k) savings plans

HSA

Flexible Spending Accounts

Career development

Incentive bonus

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. in Tucson, AZ seeks a Senior Engineer - Validation for Hydraulic Mining Shovels to shape performance, durability, reliability, quality and serviceability.

You will lead validation strategies and work with Tucson Proving Grounds and global partners. The role emphasizes risk mitigation, data-driven decisions, and cross-functional collaboration; requires a Bachelor’s in Engineering and hands-on validation experience with heavy equipment.

Qualifications

• Experience in machine validation, durability, reliability, and quality processes for heavy equipment.
• Ability to analyze test results, identify failure modes, and develop data-driven solutions.
• Strong communication of validation status and risk to cross-functional teams.
• Understanding of NPI and CPI processes and product readiness assessments.

Responsibilities

• Create HMS validation strategy and activity plan with cross-functional groups.
• Collaborate with Tucson Proving Grounds validation peers on HMS needs.
• Budget program validation costs in line with development plans.
• Utilize DVPR, Proactive Reliability, and requirement-based methods to assess validation.
• Present validation status and risk assessments to leadership.
• Support validation deliverables throughout the NPI program cycle.

Skills

Technical excellence

Analytical thinking

Effective communications

Product design & development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

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

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.

As a Senior Engineer - Validation at Caterpillar, you will play a key role in shaping the future of Hydraulic Mining Shovels (HMS) by ensuring our machines deliver world-class performance, durability, reliability, quality, and serviceability. In this highly collaborative role, you will lead and influence validation strategies and testing activities, working closely with teams at Tucson Proving Grounds (TPG), global engineering partners, and customers around the world. Your expertise will help bring innovative products to life, mitigate risk, and drive continuous improvement across Caterpillar's mining portfolio.

What You Will Do

• Create HMS validation strategy and activity plan, collaboratively, with a product, systems, and global machine development groups (in some cases, lead that validation strategy/plan).
• Collaborate with test and validation peers at Tucson Proving Grounds regarding HMS validation needs.
• Build relationships and leverage corporate validation experts for support as needed.
• Budget program validation costs based on development plans and collaboration with supporting organizations.
• Drive usage of tools such as the Proactive Reliability Process, Design Verification Plan & Report’s (DVP&R), and Requirement Based Virtual Product Development to evaluate the effectiveness of the validation activity plan on critical failure modes, and direct activities to mitigate risk.
• Share best practices with the design teams, using tools such as Machine Readiness Summary (MRS) and presentations from the best practitioners.
• As validation needs become known for which there is no robust validation method, the validation engineer will collaborate with teams to assess the risk and develop a plan.
• Participate in regular product design reviews.
• Support validation deliverables throughout the NPI (New Product Introduction) program cycle.
• Determine new engineering content percentage for NPI programs.
• Prepare and present Machine Readiness Summary and Risk Assessment for NPI programs.
• Collaborate with CPI (Continuous Product improvement) Black Belts for key CPI projects regarding validation requirements.
• Maintain and regularly report out on product validation schedule and status to product leadership.
• Maintain product group Obeya validation status.

What Skills You Will Have
Technical Excellence: Demonstrate experience in machine validation, durability, reliability, and quality processes for heavy equipment or complex engineered systems. Knowledge of validation methodologies, risk assessment tools, and engineering processes used to evaluate product performance and ensure design requirements are met.

Analytical Thinking: Strong ability to analyze test results, identify failure modes, assess technical risks, and develop data-driven solutions to improve product performance, reliability, and serviceability. Skilled at making sound engineering decisions in complex and evolving situations.

Effective Communications: Ability to communicate technical information clearly and effectively to engineers, product groups, validation teams, customers, and leadership. Experience presenting validation status, risk assessments, and recommendations while fostering collaboration across global and cross-functional teams.

Product Design and Development: Understanding of new product development and continuous product improvement processes, including validation planning, product readiness assessments, and design reviews. Experience supporting product development activities by ensuring validation requirements are aligned with performance, durability, and quality objectives.

Education Requirement

Bachelor’s degree in an accredited Engineering curriculum.

Top Candidate Will Also Have

Hydraulic Mining Shovel product experience.

Hydraulic system design and troubleshooting experience.

Experience validating off-highway equipment powered by diesel engines and/or AC motors.

Knowledge of Caterpillar processes (i.e., NPI, NTI, CPI, etc.).

Strong analytical skills and mechanical aptitude.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Experience working in a global engineering environment.

Ability to multitask and adjust to changing priorities as needs arise.

Prior off-highway machine design experience.

Additional Information

The location for this position is Tucson, AZ. Candidate will be expected to work from our Tucson Proving Grounds and Tucson Mining Center locations based on project needs.

Domestic relocation is available.

Occasional travel (10%) is required to support validation activities at manufacturing and/or customer sites.

Sponsorship is not available.

Posting Date: 8/13/2026- 8/27/2026

Summary Pay Range

$112,710.00 - $169,060.00

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.

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