Coatings Engineer

Solar Turbines•San Diego, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

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. Solar Turbines Incorporated, headquartered in San Diego, California, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. Solar manufactures the world’s most widely used family of mid-sized industrial gas turbines, ranging from 1 to 35 megawatts. Solar is a leading provider of energy solutions, featuring an extensive line of gas turbine-powered compressor sets, generator sets and mechanical drives. When you join Solar, 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. Along with our customers and the communities we work and live in, we are building a better world for tomorrow. This position, in the Materials & Process Engineering department, provides a variety of challenging opportunities working on coatings used in gas turbines. The incumbent will be responsible for the development, qualification, implementation, and sustainment of protective coatings used in industrial gas turbine components, with emphasis on hot‑section and environmental barrier systems. This role provides technical leadership across the product lifecycle, from new product introduction through production and field support, ensuring coatings meet performance, durability, and manufacturability requirements in demanding turbine environments. The position is highly cross‑functional, requiring close collaboration with Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Customer Services organizations to resolve technical issues, introduce new coating technologies, and support product reliability and durability objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Metallurgy, Ceramic Engineering or a related discipline.
15+ years of related industry experience
Fundamental knowledge of high‑temperature materials and surface engineering for turbomachinery applications.
Experience working in a cross‑functional engineering environment supporting manufacturing and product engineering.
Knowledgeable in the use and application of engineering analysis techniques.
Effective written and oral communication skills

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or PhD in Materials Science, Ceramic Engineering or related field.
Ability to concurrently manage projects with varied complexity
Demonstrated leadership and change management proficiencies.
Prior experience in operational roles, Lean – Six Sigma, and Agile will be beneficial.
Hands‑on experience with gas turbine coatings, such as: Thermal barrier coatings (APS, EB‑PVD) MCrAlY and diffusion bond coats Oxidation and corrosion protection systems
Experience with coating characterization techniques (e.g., microstructural analysis, adhesion testing, thickness measurement).
Familiarity with supplier qualification process development, and industrial gas turbine environments.
Experience performing failure analysis of turbomachinery components
Knowledge of coatings for additive manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

Lead development, optimization, and qualification of systems for gas turbine components, including airfoils, combustor hardware, shrouds, and structural parts.
Define coating architectures, process windows, and acceptance criteria based on service environment, component design, and life requirements.
Support new product introduction (NPI) programs by selecting and qualifying coatings that meet performance, cost, and schedule targets.
Provide technical support to manufacturing operations for coating process control, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.
Lead supplier qualification and oversight for internal and external coating sources, including audits, capability assessments, and corrective actions.
Evaluate and introduce new coating processes, equipment, and repair technologies in collaboration with Operations and Supply Chain.
Support product problem resolution (PPR) activities through coating‑related failure analysis, root cause assessment, and corrective action definition.
Analyze coating degradation mechanisms such as oxidation, hot corrosion, erosion, spallation, and thermal fatigue.
Provide coatings expertise for repair, overhaul, and remanufacturing development programs.
Own and maintain engineering specifications, material standards, and process documentation related to turbine coatings.
Ensure compliance with internal quality systems and applicable industry standards.
Present technical findings and recommendations to internal stakeholders and leadership.