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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.

Mechanical Structures, Power Conversion

Position Summary

We are seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer to join our Power Conversion Engineering team. The successful candidate will be responsible for the mechanical and structural design of power conversion cabinets and enclosures, from concept development through analysis, validation, and production release.

The role requires strong engineering fundamentals, first-principles thinking, and experience in structural simulation. Knowledge of cooling-system design, thermal management, and CFD is preferred.

Key Responsibilities

• Design cabinets, enclosures, frames, panels, brackets, equipment mounts, and other structural components for power conversion systems.
• Translate system, packaging, environmental, manufacturing, and service requirements into robust mechanical designs.
• Apply first-principles calculations to evaluate structural load paths, strength, stiffness, vibration, fatigue, and design margins.
• Perform structural FEA, including static, modal, vibration, buckling, and fatigue analysis as applicable.
• Develop realistic load cases, boundary conditions, material models, and joint assumptions.
• Validate simulation results using hand calculations and engineering judgment.
• Create 3D CAD models, assemblies, engineering drawings, GD&T, and design documentation.
• Design sheet-metal, welded, bolted, machined, and fabricated structures for manufacturability and assembly.
• Support prototype builds, design validation, root-cause investigations, and production implementation.
• Collaborate with electrical, power electronics, thermal, manufacturing, validation, and supplier teams.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Strong fundamentals in engineering mechanics, strength of materials, machine design, structural mechanics, and materials engineering.
• Experience designing cabinets, enclosures, frames, or similar mechanical structures.
• Experience with sheet-metal, welded, bolted, and fabricated assemblies.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD and production engineering drawings.
• Experience performing structural FEA using ANSYS Mechanical, Abaqus, Creo Simulate, Nastran, or an equivalent tool.
• Ability to develop load cases, define realistic boundary conditions, interpret simulation results, and recommend design improvements.
• Ability to perform hand calculations to validate analytical and simulation results.
• Working knowledge of GD&T and manufacturing processes.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with power converters, inverters, chargers, energy-storage systems, industrial drives, or high-voltage electrical equipment.
• Experience packaging power electronic modules, capacitors, magnetics, busbars, cables, and control hardware.
• Experience with PTC Creo and Teamcenter.
• Knowledge of vibration, shock, fatigue, weld, fastener, or structural joint analysis.
• Experience supporting designs from concept through prototype, validation, and production release.
• Experience working with suppliers of sheet-metal, welded, machined, or fabricated components.
• Knowledge of cooling-system design, heat transfer, airflow management, and liquid-cooling systems.
• Experience with CFD or thermal-analysis tools such as ANSYS Fluent, Icepak, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, or FloEFD.

Posting Dates:

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply

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