Career Area:
Manufacturing
Job Description:
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 Summary:
We are seeking a Metallurgical / Manufacturing Engineer to support and improve heat treat and plating processing operations within a manufacturing environment. This role plays a key part in ensuring materials achieve the required mechanical and metallurgical properties through well-controlled processes and sound engineering practices.
The ideal candidate brings hands-on experience supporting production, evaluating material performance, and resolving processing issues while collaborating closely with manufacturing, quality, and operations teams. This position offers the opportunity to make a direct impact on product quality, process reliability, and continuous improvement initiatives in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
What You Will Do:
Lead and improve heat treating processes for the facility. Processes include Carburizing, Induction Hardening, and Direct hardening.
Ensure processes and part quality are conforming to customer and Caterpillar heat treat specifications
Serve as onsite metallurgist for facility, performing all metallurgical analysis for Caterpillar Proprietary Heat Treat Processes
Support and assist in process improvements for plating lines in the facility (hexavalent chrome and nickel plating)
Support and optimize heat treat operations to ensure materials meet defined mechanical and metallurgical requirements.
Monitor, analyze, and control process parameters (temperature, time, atmosphere, cooling methods) to maintain consistency and product quality.
Evaluate material performance and microstructural outcomes and provide engineering recommendations to address processing or quality issues.
Investigate and resolve heat-treat-related defects such as distortion, cracking, hardness variation, or nonconformance using structured problem-solving methods.
Partner with manufacturing, quality, and operations teams to implement corrective and preventive actions and improve process reliability.
Support process qualification, documentation, and standard work to ensure compliance with engineering and quality standards.
Apply lean manufacturing principles to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance flow within production operations.
Identify opportunities for continuous improvement that reduce scrap, rework, and cycle time while improving first-pass yield.
Ensure adherence to engineering standards, metallurgical specifications, and safety requirements across manufacturing activities.
Escalate complex material or processing concerns to senior engineering staff as needed.
Education requirement:
Candidates should possess a Bachelor's degree or higher, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge through extensive professional expertise.
What skills you will have:
Manufacturing Processes:
Support production activities involving Heat Treat and Plating operations , ensuring consistency with defined parameters and material specifications.
Monitor and control temperature profiles, cycle times, atmospheres, and quenching methods to achieve required mechanical and metallurgical properties.
Assist with process qualification, documentation, and standardization for controlled thermal operations.
Partner with operations to address process variability, distortion, hardness variation, and rework .
Engineering - Manufacturing:
Responsible for running the Metallurgical lab at the facility - related to creating pucks and observing microstructures under a microscope
Support manufacturing engineering efforts related to material processing and thermal treatment , including specification review and process optimization.
Apply understanding of material behavior, phase transformations, and microstructural outcomes to evaluate process performance.
Ensure adherence to engineering standards, metallurgical specifications, and safety requirements for production equipment and operations.
Identify and escalate complex material performance or processing concerns to senior engineering staff.
Problem Solving:
Investigate material and processing issues using structured problem-solving and root cause analysis techniques.
Analyze defects such as cracking, distortion, improper hardness, or microstructural nonconformance and recommend corrective actions.
Collaborate cross-functionally to implement corrective and preventive measures that improve process reliability.
Document findings and support continuous improvement of process control and material performance .
Lean Manufacturing
Apply lean principles to improve efficiency, flow, and consistency within thermal processing operations .
Identify waste related to batching, handling, rework, and cycle time and support improvement initiatives.
Assist with development of standard work and process discipline to improve repeatability and quality.
Contribute to continuous improvement efforts focused on reducing scrap and improving first-pass yield.
Additional Information:
This position requires the candidate to work onsite five days a week at the Sumter, SC office.
Domestic relocation assistance IS available for this position.
Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position.
This position may require up to 20% travel.
Summary Pay Range:
$89,210.00 - $133,810.00
Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar.
Benefits:
Subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of benefits.
Medical, dental, and vision benefits*
Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*
401(k) savings plans*
Health Savings Account (HSA)*
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*
Health Lifestyle Programs*
Employee Assistance Program*
Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts*
Career Development*
Incentive bonus*
Disability benefits
Life Insurance
Parental leave
Adoption benefits
Tuition Reimbursement
These benefits also apply to part-time employees
Posting Dates:
April 6, 2026 - April 18, 2026
Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.
Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.
Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community (http://flows.beamery.com/caterpillarinc/talcom) .
