Senior Engineer

Career Area:
Engineering

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.

Senior Materials Engineer

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. Solar has a manufacturing facility, TurboTec, in Tijuana Mexico where this job is based.

Job Summary

The TurboTec Senior Materials Engineer is a critical role within the Gas Turbine Product Engineering unit, tasked with ensuring the quality and performance of turbomachinery components by performing and coordinating laboratory testing to evaluate the chemical and physical properties of alloys, ceramics, and metallic materials in accordance with internal and external standard requirements. Works with multidisciplinary groups to identify and resolve problems associated with engineering, overhaul, and manufacturing processes.

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. Conducts thorough evaluations of turbomachinery components, generating comprehensive reports detailing findings. Provides insightful advice and practical recommendations aimed at resolving issues within manufacturing and remanufacturing processes. This role requires a high degree of self-direction and the ability to manage tasks independently.

Nature and Scope:
Reporting to the Failure Analysis & Materials Engineering Manager, within Materials and Process Engineering, the Materials Engineer works as an individual contributor to coordinate and perform testing and evaluations of metals, alloys, ceramics, and coatings to support production and development using metallographic practices, and project management.

Principal Accountabilities:

- Coordinate the testing and evaluation of different turbine components.
- Evaluate the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of metals, alloys, and ceramics against internal and external standards.
- Make decisions on materials and processes related to technical issues.
- Generate and coordinate engineering changes involving materials and processes.
- Support the transfer and development of new materials and repair processes.
- Evaluation and selection of machinery and equipment to improve processes within the metallurgical laboratory.
- Perform cost analysis for the metallography processes.
- Manage and prepare chemical compounds for metal etching.
- Generation and monitoring of internal and external corrective actions.
- Preparation of professional reports, as well as graphs, tables, and images to convey evaluation results.
- Manage and store testing evaluation data.
- Organize meetings to share results and address issues with cross-functional teams, including management, quality, production, and engineering.
- Assist in failure investigations to get to the root cause.
- Communicate with both internal customers and suppliers to resolve non-conformances.
- Maintenance of the metallurgy laboratory, cleanliness, supplies, equipment certifications and vendor approvals/accreditations as required.
- Develop procedures, trainings, work instructions, and visual aids to support all laboratory related activities.
- Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment at all times.
- Support a culture of continuous improvement to facilitate effective problem resolution and process and product improvements.
- Promote safety and environmental compliance with internal regulations.
- Conduct ongoing training to ensure proficiency in analyzing all incoming materials.
- Send samples to outside laboratories as needed.
- Support other areas as required.

Basic Qualifications:

- Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, or equivalent
- Experience in Laboratory testing including working knowledge of physical and mechanical metallurgy and characterization.
- Knowledge in materials processes such as heat treatment, forging, casting, welding, additive manufacturing, and coatings.
- Advanced level of English (written and spoken)
- Effective written and oral communication skills
- Passport and eligibility to get US business visa

Preferred Qualifications:

- Experien