Shop Support Engineer

Caterpillar•East Peoria, IL

1d•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. Join Caterpillar's Tractor Product Support team as a Shop Support Engineer, serving as the primary engineering representative within the East Peoria Assembly Plant, including Building SS and Building LL. In this highly collaborative role, you will provide direct technical support to manufacturing, operations, quality, and product engineering teams to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality assembly of Caterpillar track-type tractors. As the link between product design engineering and manufacturing, you will resolve production issues, investigate quality concerns, support root cause analysis activities, coordinate engineering solutions, and drive continuous improvement initiatives. You will work closely with assembly personnel, quality teams, manufacturing engineers, and CPPD design teams to communicate product changes, engineering deviations, and corrective actions while maintaining uninterrupted production flow. This role also serves as an engineering representative on the Material Review Committee (MRC), helping identify engineering-related issues, support disposition decisions, follow concerns through resolution, and identify opportunities for quality improvement and cost reduction. The ideal candidate combines strong mechanical engineering knowledge, manufacturing experience, problem-solving skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple functional teams in a fast-paced production environment.

Requirements

Quality Management Systems: Working knowledge of QMS processes, requirements, documentation, quality indicators, metrics, system interfaces, and compliance expectations.
Problem Solving: Ability to identify and document problems, use fact-finding and diagnostic tools, evaluate the accuracy of information, develop alternatives, and assess risks and benefits.
Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Ability to check and cross-check outputs, work precisely with detailed information, recognize the impact of errors, and produce accurate documentation.
Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Ability to gather and organize relevant information, clarify and prioritize concerns, apply structured thinking, and support informed decisions.
Quality Data Analysis: Ability to interpret statistical information, product specifications, quality indicators, and process results to identify deviations and support improvement decisions.
Written and Verbal Communication: Ability to prepare understandable reports and communicate quality findings, risks, recommendations, and project status to technical and nontechnical stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, or a related engineering discipline (or equivalent experience), with several years of experience in machine design, product development, manufacturing support, product validation, or systems engineering.
Strong mechanical aptitude with demonstrated root cause analysis and problem-solving skills, including experience interpreting engineering drawings, product specifications, manufacturing documentation, and evaluating technical solutions.
Experience supporting manufacturing, assembly, heavy equipment, or industrial production environments, coupled with a strong commitment to safety and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced production setting.
Proven communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, with the ability to work across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and operations teams to drive issue resolution and continuous improvement.
Detailed knowledge of track-type tractors, pipelayers, or related Caterpillar products, including experience operating, servicing, troubleshooting, repairing, designing, validating, testing, or supporting assembly and manufacturing processes.
Experience with manufacturing quality systems and improvement methodologies, including FMEA, APQP, PPAP, Control Plans, SPC, CAPA, non-conformance management, audit processes, dimensional inspection, product compliance requirements, Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and CPI tools.
Familiarity with Caterpillar product development and change management processes, including CPPD practices, NPI, engineering releases, product change control, configuration management, and Material Review Committee (MRC) activities.
Proficiency with Caterpillar engineering and product development systems, including EDS, HVC, VisView, CDIM, PPRD, myNPI, DCC, and related engineering data and workflow tools, along with knowledge of East Peoria assembly operations and production systems.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary engineering liaison for East Peoria assembly operations, providing direct support to Building SS and Building LL for product design, manufacturing, and assembly-related issues.
Troubleshoot production, engineering, and quality concerns using structured root cause analysis, driving corrective and preventive actions that improve product quality, reliability, and production efficiency.
Partner with CPPD, Operations, Quality, and Manufacturing teams to resolve technical issues impacting safety, quality, cost, delivery, and customer satisfaction.
Lead communication and implementation of engineering deviations, product changes, advance change notices, and configuration updates to maintain production continuity.
Represent Engineering on the Material Review Committee (MRC), supporting non-conformance disposition, containment activities, issue resolution, and cost-reduction opportunities.
Analyze manufacturing, warranty, quality, and statistical data to identify trends, evaluate risks, and recommend design or process improvements.
Support New Product Introduction (NPI), FMEA development, validation activities, product change implementation, and continuous improvement initiatives across assembly operations.
Maintain compliance with engineering and quality standards through documentation control, audit support, issue tracking, and effective cross-functional coordination with manufacturing, suppliers, and engineering stakeholders.