Mechanical Test Engineer

Caterpillar United States • Chillicothe, IL

2d • Onsite

About The Position

This position supports the work group by validating drivetrain systems, turning test data into engineering insight, and identifying product risks that influence design decisions and support NPI/CPI execution. Its work directly improves drivetrain performance, durability, reliability, quality, and delivery against program cost and schedule commitments.

Requirements

• 2-4 years of experience
• Mechanical engineering degree or Masters Degree
• Drivetrain or powertrain mechanical systems knowledge
• Complex data analysis and engineering interpretation
• Failure analysis and root cause investigation
• Product validation and test planning/execution
• Laboratory system-level testing
• Test instrumentation and data acquisition
• Troubleshooting hardware and software issues
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Analytical thinking
• Decision making and critical thinking
• Effective written and verbal communication
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Project management
• Collaborative mindset

Nice To Haves

• Internships accepted as job experience

Responsibilities

• Partner with design, controls, and cross-functional teams to define validation requirements and influence design decisions.
• Plan, prepare, and execute drivetrain component and system validation testing.
• Prepare and instrument test units, including test setups and data acquisition needs.
• Analyze complex test data, compare results to requirements, and identify performance gaps.
• Apply system-level thinking to evaluate component interactions and tradeoffs.
• Troubleshoot and resolve hardware and software issues during testing.
• Perform inspections, failure analysis, and support structured root cause investigations.
• Support NPI/CPI build events, validation activities, and issue resolution.
• Document test procedures, results, and conclusions in clear technical reports.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level