Senior Structural Design Engineer Heavy Machinery

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Paid time off

401(k) savings plans

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Career Development

Incentive bonus

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. is seeking a Senior Design Engineering Specialist in Decatur, IL to serve as a global technical expert for structural systems across the Load & Haul portfolio.

You will guide design, validation, and continuous improvement of large-scale components, collaborating with global teams to ensure safety, durability, and manufacturability. The role demands leadership in FEA, welding and fabrication knowledge, and the ability to mentor engineers while driving standardization and best

Qualifications

• Analytical thinking applied to structural design and durability challenges.
• Troubleshooting complex structural, manufacturing, and system-level issues with root-cause analysis.
• Clear, persuasive communication to cross-functional teams and leadership.
• Informed decision making balancing performance, durability, cost, and manufacturability.
• Proficiency with CAD/CAE tools to develop, analyze, and validate heavy-structure designs.
• Experience guiding product development lifecycle, emphasizing manufacturability and quality.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership on complex structural fabrication design challenges for new product introductions and CPI.
• Coach and develop engineers through reviews, guidance, and problem-solving support.
• Develop and review structural designs using DFM/DFA and durability best practices.
• Provide expertise in weldment design, castings, fabricated structures, and load paths.
• Guide FEA, structural simulation, durability assessments, and physical validation.
• Interpret analysis results and recommend improvements for durability, quality, cost, and manufacturability.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, purchasing, suppliers, and platform teams to optimize designs and processes.
• Support APQP, CPPD, FMEA, DVP&R, and other product development activities throughout lifecycle.

Skills

Analytical Thinking

Troubleshooting Technical Problems

Effective Communications

Decision Making and Critical Thinking

Computer-Aided Design & Engineering

Product Development Life Cycle (MFG)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related

Tools

CREO

ANSYS

Abaqus

Nastran

HyperWorks

Job description

Caterpillar Inc. is seeking a Senior Design Engineering Specialist in Decatur, IL to serve as a global technical expert for structural systems across the Load & Haul portfolio.

You will guide design, validation, and continuous improvement of large-scale components, collaborating with global teams to ensure safety, durability, and manufacturability. The role demands leadership in FEA, welding and fabrication knowledge, and the ability to mentor engineers while driving standardization and best