Senior Materials Engineer

Solar Turbines•San Diego, CA

1d•$108,834 - $163,252•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. Job Description 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 23 megawatts. Solar is a leading provider of energy solutions, featuring an extensive line of gas turbine-powered compressor sets. Job Summary: This position, in the Failure Analysis & Materials Engineering department within the Gas Turbine Product Engineering unit, provides a variety of challenging opportunities performing failure analyses, developing expertise in forgings, castings, low and high temperature alloys and enabling the enhancement of turbomachinery component material properties, and product durability. Complexity of Assignments: This position is cross-functional in nature and requires strong interaction with Customer Services, Gas Turbine Product Engineering, Technology & New Product Introduction, Gas Compressor Engineering, Global Supply Chain, and Turbo Machinery Operations. Nature and Scope: Reporting to the Failure Analysis and Materials Engineering group within the Materials and Process Engineering group, the Senior Materials Engineer works with the cross-functional team to perform failure analysis and materials characterization by using analytical laboratory equipment. This position is located in our San Diego headquarters.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Material Science, Materials Engineering, or equivalent.
5+ years experience with a B.S. degree, 3+ years with an M.S. degree.
Working knowledge of physical and mechanical metallurgy, characterization techniques, and thermomechanical processing
Knowledge in materials processes such as heat treatment, forging, casting, welding, additive manufacturing, and coatings.
Effective written and oral communication skills
Able to interpret engineering drawings.
Knowledgeable in the use and application of engineering analysis techniques.

Nice To Haves

Experience with steels and iron based alloys including melt practices, processing, and testing
Experience with superalloy investment casting, including single crystal castings, and materials life prediction methodologies.
Familiar with standard gas turbine manufacturing, quality, design, and analysis methods.
Experience performing failure analysis of metallic components, preferably those used in turbomachinery equipment
Knowledge of coatings for oxidation and/or corrosion protection.

Responsibilities

failure analysis
material evaluations
source qualification of internal and external component suppliers
evaluation of new and overhaul manufacturing technologies
ownership of related engineering specifications
maintaining documentation
providing expertise for materials related issues and projects
applying and developing new technologies and process improvements to achieve greater efficiency, cost reduction and quality improvement