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Senior Proactive Quality Engineer

Caterpillar · Lafayette, IN

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Level
Senior
Team
Quality
Base pay
$98k–$146k
Degree
Required (or equivalent experience)
Experience asked
3+ years
Certification
Black Belt preferred
Industry
Industrial
Posted
Yesterday

The role in 30 seconds

A senior quality role at Caterpillar (industrial) in Lafayette, IN. Develop, review, and maintain Control Plans aligned to PFMEA risk, process capability, and customer requirements.

They ask for
3+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience) · Black Belt preferred
Tools it names
Six Sigma, Black Belt, FMEA, APQP, Control plans, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
Base pay
$98k–$146k

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of October 26, 2026

Quality Engineer roles in Indiana: typical posted base $98k–$146k. This one lists $98k–$146k.

Median of the low and high ends of 10 live postings that list pay, out of 44 quality engineer openings in Indiana, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

Indiana plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 43 other live quality postings in Indiana.

Base pay
In line with similar roles

Typical $97k–$145k, from 9 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
Less than usual (3+ vs 6+)

Similar roles usually ask 6+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • Root cause 61%
  • SPC 43%
  • ✓ FMEA 43%
  • ✓ Control plans 41%
  • Team leadership 36%
  • ✓ New product launch 36%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for Black Belt, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 3+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Quality team at Caterpillar

    We found 8 people at this company and state: 6 in this kind of role, 2 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓

  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

    One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.

    Write to Will → (free)
  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • What does a normal week look like on your team?
    • Which standards drive the work here: ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100?
    • How much of the job is customer complaints versus prevention?
    • The posting mentions a Black Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 4

    Apply with someone vouching for you

    If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.

  5. 5

    Bring proof to the interview

    One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

This plant: Caterpillar in Lafayette

3 other open roles at this site · 8 people we found in quality roles at Caterpillar.

Full description from CaterpillarAs posted on their careers site.Show

Job Summary

The Sr Quality Engineer plays a key role in proactively planning, deploying, and sustaining quality into products and processes using Caterpillar’s Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and New Product Introduction (NPI) frameworks. This position is accountable for quality leadership across new product (NPI) and new capital (NCI) programs, from concept through production validation and launch.

The role emphasizes prevention-based quality fundamentals, front-end risk identification, and cross-functional execution to ensure robust, capable processes and successful launches.

Requirements

  • ✓Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Manufacturing and or equivalent work experience

What you will have

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.

requirements

within own function.

  • ✓Describes the key objectives, phases and deliverables of a current project.
  • ✓Explains the concepts of phase, activity, task, and deliverable.
  • ✓Gives examples of critical paths in projects.

Quality Management System (QMS): Knowledge of Quality Management System's (QMS) functions, features, and capabilities; ability to design, implement, test, and maintain Quality Management Systems to consistently meet customer

requirements

and regulatory compliances.

Show full description ↓

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.

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.

About LPSD

The Large Power Systems Division (LPSD) is part of Caterpillar’s Power & Energy segment. Through this global organization, Caterpillar designs and manufactures large (greater than 18 liters) diesel and natural gas engines, powertrains and key engine systems. LPSD products and solutions support customers across power generation, industrial, marine, oil & gas, rail, services and Cat® machine applications worldwide.

What you do

  • •Lead APQP execution for NPI and NCI programs, ensuring early identification of validation plans, audit strategies, and project readiness reviews.
  • •Support PFMEA development, ensuring risks are identified early and mitigated appropriately
  • •Develop, review, and maintain Control Plans aligned to PFMEA risk, process capability, and customer requirements.
  • •Serve as quality lead on New Product and New Capital programs, supporting design readiness, manufacturability, inspection strategy, and error-proofing.
  • •Lead process validation activities including capability analysis, production trials, and run-at-rate evaluations.
  • •Partner with manufacturing, operations, and engineering to ensure internal process readiness.
  • •Support early production launches by monitoring quality indicators, addressing emerging risks, and driving preventive actions.
  • •Lead structured problem-solving when required, while ensuring lessons learned are fed back into APQP documentation.
  • •Identify and support quality metrics focused on risk prevention and launch robustness.
  • •Provide APQP and quality fundamentals training to cross-functional teams.

Degree

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.

Project Management: Knowledge of effective project management strategies and tactics; ability to plan, organize, monitor, and control projects, ensuring efficient utilization of technical and administrative resources to achieve project objectives.

Level Basic Understanding

  • •Identifies project management tools and

Level Working Knowledge

  • •Adheres to the process, requirements, and documentation associated with QMS.
  • •Contributes to the development of business case analysis for a new QMS functionality in the system.
  • •Explains and analyzes quality indicators and metrics relevant to one's business unit or function.
  • •Monitors key interfaces and criticalities related to QMS.
  • •Reviews various QMS products and service providers available in the market and lists their applications

Top Candidates will have

  • •3+ years of progressive experience in Quality, Manufacturing, or Product Engineering.
  • •Experience with APQP, including PFMEAs and Control Plans.
  • •Strong cross-functional indirect leadership.
  • •Strong communicator - able to influence and engage with individuals at all levels of the business to build trusted partnerships.
  • •Proven analytical and structured problem-solving capability.
  • •Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) and/or New Capital Introduction (NCI).
  • •Quality certifications such as ASQ-CQE or Six Sigma Green/Black Belt.
  • •Experience with process capability analysis and error-proofing methods.
  • •Familiarity with manufacturing and quality systems (inc. Defect tra

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