Senior Proactive Quality Engineer

Caterpillar Brazil; Lafayette (IN); On-site; USD 98,000 - 146,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Paid time off

401(k) savings plans

Career development

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. is seeking a Sr Quality Engineer to lead APQP for NPI and NCI programs, ensuring early risk identification and robust processes.

You will guide PFMEA, control plans, and evidence-based validation, partnering with engineering, manufacturing, and operations to ensure successful launches. The role emphasizes prevention-based quality, cross-functional leadership, and mentoring teams in quality fundamentals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Manufacturing or equivalent work experience.
• Experience with APQP, PFMEA and Control Plans.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and communicate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead APQP execution for NPI and NCI programs and verify readiness.
• Develop PFMEA, control plans and risk mitigation strategies.
• Lead process validation, capability analysis and run-at-rate studies.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, operations and engineering teams.
• Drive preventive actions and feed lessons learned into APQP docs.

Skills

APQP

PFMEA

Control Plans

Quality leadership

Problem solving

Project management

QMS knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Communicator

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Manufacturing or equivalent

Tools

MESA

eMachine

Deviation management

PCN

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. 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 LPSD

The Large Power Systems Division (LPSD) is part of Caterpillar’s Power & Energy segment. Through this global organization, Caterpillar designs and manufactures large (greater than 18 liters) diesel and natural gas engines, powertrains and key engine systems. LPSD products and solutions support customers across power generation, industrial, marine, oil & gas, rail, services and Cat machine applications worldwide.

Job Summary

The Sr Quality Engineer plays a key role in proactively planning, deploying, and sustaining quality into products and processes using Caterpillar’s Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and New Product Introduction (NPI) frameworks. This position is accountable for quality leadership across new product (NPI) and new capital (NCI) programs, from concept through production validation and launch. The role emphasizes prevention-based quality fundamentals, front-end risk identification, and cross-functional execution to ensure robust, capable processes and successful launches.

What you do

Lead APQP execution for NPI and NCI programs, ensuring early identification of validation plans, audit strategies, and project readiness reviews. Support PFMEA development, ensuring risks are identified early and mitigated appropriately. Develop, review, and maintain Control Plans aligned to PFMEA risk, process capability, and customer requirements. Serve as quality lead on New Product and New Capital programs, supporting design readiness, manufacturability, inspection strategy, and error-proofing. Lead process validation activities including capability analysis, production trials, and run-at-rate evaluations. Partner with manufacturing, operations, and engineering to ensure internal process readiness. Support early production launches by monitoring quality indicators, addressing emerging risks, and driving preventive actions. Lead structured problem-solving when required, while ensuring lessons learned are fed back into APQP documentation. Identify and support quality metrics focused on risk prevention and launch robustness. Provide APQP and quality fundamentals training to cross-functional teams.

Degree Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Manufacturing and or equivalent work experience

What you will have

Problem Solving: 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. Level Working Knowledge: Identifies and documents specific problems and resolution alternatives. Examines a specific problem and understands the perspective of each involved stakeholder. Develops alternative techniques for assessing accuracy and relevance of information. Helps to analyze risks and benefits of alternative approaches and obtain decision on resolution. Uses fact-finding techniques and diagnostic tools to identify problems. 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. Level Basic Understanding: Identifies project management tools and requirements within own function. Describes the key objectives, phases and deliverables of a current project. Explains the concepts of phase, activity, task, and deliverable. Gives examples of critical paths in projects. Gives examples of critical paths in projects. Quality Management System (QMS): Knowledge of Quality Management System's (QMS) functions, features, and capabilities; ability to design, implement, test, and maintain Quality Management Systems to consistently meet customer requirements and regulatory compliances. Level Working Knowledge: Adheres to the process, requirements, and documentation associated with QMS. Contributes to the development of business case analysis for a new QMS functionality in the system. Explains and analyzes quality indicators and metrics relevant to one's business unit or function. Monitors key interfaces and criticalities related to QMS. Reviews various QMS products and service providers available in the market and lists their applications.

Top Candidates will have

3+ years of progressive experience in Quality, Manufacturing, or Product Engineering. Experience with APQP, including PFMEAs and Control Plans. Strong cross-functional indirect leadership. Strong communicator - able to influence and engage with individuals at all levels of the business to build trusted partnerships. Proven analytical and structured problem-solving capability. Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) and/or New Capital Introduction (NCI). Quality certifications such as ASQ-CQE or Six Sigma Green/Black Belt. Experience with process capability analysis and error-proofing methods. Familiarity with manufacturing and quality systems (inc. Defect tracking, MESA, eMachine, deviation management, PCN).

#LI Summary Pay Range

$97,530.00 - $146,290.00 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.

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.

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

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.