Product Quality Engineer

Career Area:

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.

At Caterpillar’s Decatur facility, we manufacture large mining and construction equipment. In this role as a Product Quality Engineer, you will report to the Quality Manager, and will be primarily responsible for managing a production team that is focused on the delivery of zero-defect machines to our customers. As a member of the quality team, you will need to have a growth mindset, promote continuous improvement, and help build a defect-free culture at Decatur, IL.

What you will do:

• Monitor and improve safety on the shop floor; eliminate any unsafe operations and ensure a safe and clean production environment. 
• Suggest changes in working conditions and use of equipment to increase efficiency.  Work to improve processes and reduce costs by eliminating non-value added activities.
• Lead initiatives such as 5S, Lean Manufacturing, 6 Sigma that are focused on continuous improvement within the business.
• Lead cross-functional teams to contain Product Quality issues and drive root cause corrective action to ensure the defect does not happen again.
• Main focus is on 0/2 Month in Service, using information to identify Root Cause, Containments, and lead team to provide corrective actions
• Developing quality assurance strategies, processes, guidelines and control plans which assure quality and reliability of manufactured products. 
• Driving change based on data; reviewing reports to review with quality assurance, production, management, and engineering personnel to solve quality issues
• Managing process to achieve compliance for internal quality audits and coordinate external on-site audits; analyzing all product development and manufacturing procedures to identify deviations from quality standards and recommend and implement corrective actions.
• Communicating adherence to client requirements, product or service specifications, and ensures that their expectations are met to achieve high customer satisfaction rates

Top Candidates will also have:

• Demonstrated leadership abilities- Zero Injury & Stop-to-Fix mindset
• Lean BIQ understanding
• Basic blueprint reading skills and understanding of GD&T
• General understanding of Fabrications, Machining, Paint, and Assembly functions.
• Knowledge of Caterpillar manufacturing systems such as AQE, ETQ, MES, REDI, BIMS, etc.
• Understanding of APQP principles.
• Good communication, interpersonal, teamwork and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work with a diverse group of employees and customers and promote inclusiveness.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products.
• Ability to analyze data and create reports using Tableau, PowerBl, etc

Degree Requirement
Bachelor’s Degree preferred in a Manufacturing or Engineering discipline

What Skills You Will Have:

Planning: Tactical, Strategic: Knowledge of effective planning techniques and ability to contribute to operational (short term), tactical (1-2 years) and strategic (3-5 years) planning in support of the overall business plan.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Anticipates and adapts to plan changes.
• Under guidance, develops tactical plan for own direct responsibility.
Quality Management: Knowledge of quality management methods, tools, and techniques and ability to create and support an environment that meets the quality goals of the organization.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Interprets results of quantitative and statistical tools and explains results to others.
• Develops expertise in quality assurance tools, techniques, and standards.
• Develops programs for motivating employees to meet or exceed quality goals.
Collaborating: Knowledge of collaborative techniques; ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups in a constructive and collaborative manner.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Demonstrates experience participating in productive collaborative processes.
• Under guidance, initiates collaborative meetings.
• Helps solve business problems and meet business goals through collaborative processes.
Influencing: Knowledge of effective influencing tactics and strategies; ability to impact decisions within and outside own organization.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Develops basic persuasive arguments.
• Uses active listening skills and probing techniques to surface opportunities to influence.
• Identifies who the decision makers are and how they receive information.
• Regularly presents ideas or suggestions to associates in persuasive terms.
Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Identifies and documents specific problems and resolution alternatives.
• Examines a specific problem and understands the perspective of each involved stakeholder.
• Develops alternative techniques for assessing accuracy and relevance of information.
• Helps to analyze risks and benefits of alternative approaches and obtain decision on resolution.
• Uses fact-finding techniques and diagnostic tools to identify problems.
Quality Risk Management: Knowledge of processes, tools, and techniques for Quality Risk Management; ability to implement the quality assurance process of assessment, control, communication, and review of risks to the quality of products.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Documents the key steps of a unit-specific risk management process and associated procedures.
• Participates in a crisis management team to address quality issues.
• Understands overall business objectives to effectively mitigate risks associated with quality.
Lean Manufacturing: Knowledge of the philosophy, principles and implementation approaches of lean manufacturing; ability to integrate and implement lean manufacturing philosophy into existing production and management processes.
Level Basic Understanding:
• Cites examples of benefits and risks associated with implementing lean principles.
• Identifies key lean principles and highlights of the lean manufacturing process.
Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Knowledge of the concepts, principles and techniques of root cause analysis (RCA); ability to use a structured approach to identify the causes of undesirable consequences in a manufacturing environment and the changes needed to prevent recurrences.
Level Basic Understanding:
• Explains the rationale for finding and resolving the real cause of a problem rather than simply continuing to deal with the symptoms.
• Describes the basic steps in an approach to root cause analysis (RCA).
• Gives examples of problems that were resolved through root cause analysis.
Additional Information:

The primary location for this position is Decatur, IL

Domestic relocation assistance is available

This position may require 5% travel

Sponsorship is not available

What you will get:

Our goal at Caterpillar is for you to have a rewarding career. Our teams are critical to the success of our customers who build a better world.

Here you earn more than just wage, because we value your performance, we offer a total rewards package that provides:

• Competitive Base Salary
• Annual incentive bonus plan*
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holiday, Volunteer, Etc.)
• 401k savings plan
• Health savings account (HSA)
• Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
• Short and long-term disability coverage
• Life Insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Healthy Lifestyle Programs
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Voluntary Benefits (Ex. Accident, Identity Theft Protection)

*Subject to annual eligibility and incentive plan guidelines.

Final details:

Please frequently check the email associated with your application, including the junk/spam folder, as this is the primary correspondence method. If you wish to know the status of your application – please use the candidate log-in on our career website as it will reflect any updates to your status.

For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media

Posting Dates:

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.   

EEO/AA Employer.  All qualified individuals - Including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities - are encouraged to apply.

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