Senior Design Engineering Specialist

Caterpillar Inc.•Tucson, AZ

8d•$147,760 - $221,640•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. This Senior Design Engineering Specialist role serves as a technical authority in supplier, factory, and internal development process quality for Heavy Structures on Rigid Frame Truck (RFT) products. In this role, you will provide strategic technical leadership across quality, manufacturing, and engineering organizations while leading supplier and factory quality improvement initiatives that strengthen the robustness of RFT Heavy Structures. You will be responsible for influencing technical direction, mentoring engineering teams, and driving enterprise-wide process improvements that deliver measurable business and customer value. Your work directly influences machine physical availability, supplier and factory delivered quality, and long-term product durability for Resource Industries customers. It’s More Than a Job, it’s a Career - YouTube Why this role Is Impactful: Quality Leadership Across Rigid Frame Truck Heavy Structures - You set the standard for supplier and factory quality, ensuring robust processes and consistent execution across all RFT Heavy Structures components Driving Modern Manufacturing Transformation – You introduce innovative processes such as Welding Digital Thread (WDT) and Digital Weld Instruction (DWI) usage to external suppliers and internal fabrication partners, while continuously identifying opportunities to leverage emerging technologies Data Driven Process Improvement - You own the data analytics tools that identify process gaps and demonstrate measurable progress in our quality journey Cross‑Functional Influence - You collaborate with Design, Analysis, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Procurement teams to align quality requirements and deliver expected results

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in an accredited Engineering program
Product Design and Development: Experience collaborating with Cat manufacturers or suppliers to optimize designs for manufacturability
Demonstrated experience in executing APQP from start to finish
Deep understanding of End-to-End Built-In Quality (E2E BIQ) processes
Proficiency in designing fabricated structures
Ability to engage appropriate subject matter experts to effectively resolve technical issues
Experience with Caterpillar processes such as NPI and CPI
Project Management: Demonstrated ability to lead multiple complex, cross-functional initiatives involving engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and supplier stakeholders.
Provides technical leadership and drives alignment across teams to achieve project objectives, quality targets, and business outcomes.
Monitors project risks, critical milestones, and key performance metrics to ensure successful execution and timely delivery.
Champions continuous improvement by identifying and implementing innovative processes, tools, and best practices that enhance quality, manufacturability, and operational performance.
Managing Multiple Priorities: Ability to effectively prioritize tasks to meet deadlines and achieve organizational goals
Skill in balancing competing demands and managing time efficiently
Adaptability to changing priorities while managing multiple projects simultaneously
Strong organizational skills with attention to detail
Effective Communications: Experience with collaboration tools and processes such as APQP and CPPD
Ability and willingness to collaborate with international teams across multiple time zones

Nice To Haves

Previous supply chain experience
Proficiency in CREO or other CAD tools
Familiarity with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools
Experience with Rigid Frame Trucks
Strong knowledge of Caterpillar components and systems
Experience developing PowerBI dashboards
Experience executing all phases of a new product development program
Proven ability to lead or direct the work of others to achieve design objectives
Hands-on experience in machinery, heavy equipment, or manufacturing environments

Responsibilities

Provide technical leadership, influence cross-functional teams, and drive strategic quality improvements without direct authority
Mentor engineers and serve as a subject matter expert for complex manufacturing and quality challenges
Lead collaboration with Purchase Finished (PF) suppliers to proactively improve fabrication performance using advanced design and analysis tools
Resolve PF component challenges and critical internal factory issues by leading the execution of required quality gates and implementing improvements to prevent recurrence
Lead Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) process conformance and Built-In Quality (BIQ) performance for RFT Heavy Structures
Expand adoption of Welding Digital Thread and Digital Weld Instructions across the supply base
Travel to supplier sites, manufacturing facilities, and customer locations, both domestically and internationally
Prioritize workload and create delegation plans to improve time, cost, and quality metrics
Communicate progress & results to internal partners, suppliers, team members, and the broader functional community
Balance time across NPI, CPI, maintenance, process improvement, and personal development
Participate in team design reviews and identify opportunities to share deep technical expertise and mentor others