Machine Rebuild & Technical Capability Specialist

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.
Role Definition
The Machine Rebuild & Technical Capability Specialist is a hands-on technical leadership role on the Facilities Team within the Integrated Drivetrain Energy Solutions (IDES) division. This position is responsible for leading complex machine rebuilds, executing field-based technical work, mentoring technicians, coordinating with vendors and suppliers, and improving the long-term reliability of critical manufacturing assets.
This role supports major equipment rebuilds from planning through startup and stabilization. The specialist will work directly with production equipment, maintenance technicians, engineering resources, vendors, OEMs, suppliers, and internal customers to ensure rebuild activities are completed safely, effectively, and with strong technical discipline. The successful candidate will spend significant time on the shop floor, inside equipment, leading technical work, solving problems, supporting startup activities, and helping others develop stronger technical capability.
What you will do
Lead Machine Rebuild Execution
Lead machine rebuild planning, scope development, execution, startup, and post-rebuild stabilization.
Perform hands-on technical work during teardown, inspection, repair, rebuild, installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting activities.
Coordinate rebuild work across mechanical, electrical, controls, hydraulic, pneumatic, automation, tooling, guarding, and safety systems.
Develop rebuild work plans, technical checklists, schedules, risk assessments, and execution strategies.
Support equipment lifecycle decisions related to whether assets should be repaired, rebuilt, replaced, or retired.
Ensure rebuild work is completed safely, effectively, and in alignment with production, quality, reliability, and customer needs.
Provide Hands-On Technical Leadership
Serve as the technical lead during complex equipment rebuilds, major repairs, and critical troubleshooting events.
Lead technicians and technical resources through difficult machine problems using practical field experience and structured problem solving.
Work directly alongside internal maintenance teams, vendor resources, contractors, suppliers, and OEM support personnel.
Provide technical direction when machine conditions, scope changes, or startup issues require real-time decisions.
Build credibility by being present at the work, engaged in the details, and accountable for technical outcomes.
Lead through influence, technical expertise, communication, and trust.
Develop Internal Technical Capability
Mentor technicians and maintenance resources through hands-on rebuild work.
Capture machine-specific knowledge created during rebuilds and convert it into standards, procedures, training material, and lessons learned.
Develop rebuild standards, technical documentation, inspection guidance, startup checklists, and best practices.
Build internal troubleshooting, commissioning, reliability, and machine-specific technical capability.
Support structured knowledge transfer so critical expertise is retained and shared across the organization.
Help develop a stronger technical talent pipeline for future maintenance and manufacturing needs.
Improve Reliability and Asset Sustainability
Identify recurring failure modes, reliability risks, maintainability concerns, and improvement opportunities.
Lead or support root cause investigations related to equipment failures and rebuild findings.
Use rebuild activity to improve future maintenance strategies, spare parts planning, reliability plans, and capital recommendations.
Partner with operations, maintenance, engineering, reliability, and leadership teams to improve equipment performance.
Apply lessons learned from rebuilds to improve long-term supportability of critical production assets.
Partner With Vendors, Suppliers, and Internal Customers
Serve as the technical representative during rebuild work with vendors, suppliers, OEMs, contractors, and service providers.
Communicate technical expectations, project status, risks, needs, and decisions clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
Coordinate vendor and supplier support while maintaining internal ownership of technical direction, equipment knowledge, and rebuild standards.
Work closely with production customers to understand operational needs, timing constraints, restart expectations, and equipment performance requirements.
Strengthen supplier and vendor partnerships through clear technical leadership, practical decision making, and effective collaboration.
Degree Requirement
Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (or related field) or equivalent experience desired.
What you must have
Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.
Collaborating: Knowledge of collaborative techniques; ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups in a constructive and collaborative manner.
Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.
Plant Facilities Management: Knowledge of processes, methodologies and techniques used to manage plant facilities; ability to handle the full spectrum of activities for managing and maintaining physical facilities and infrastructure.
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.
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.
Technical Troubleshooting: Knowledge of technical troubleshooting approaches, tools, and techniques; ability to anticipate, recognize, and resolve technical issues on hardware, software, application, or operation.
Top candidates will also have
Experience with machine rebuilds, major equipment overhauls, or asset restoration projects.
Working knowledge of mechanical systems, electrical systems, controls, automation, hydraulics, pneumatics, lubrication, alignment, machine guarding, and machine safety.
Experience in heavy manufacturing, machining, heat treat, forging, fabrication, assembly, or other industrial production environments.
Root cause analysis, failure analysis, reliability improvement, or maintenance strategy experience.
Experience working directly with OEMs, suppliers, contractors, and maintenance service providers.
Experience mentoring technicians or leading technical teams.
Project leadership or project management experience.
Lean manufacturing or continuous improvement experience.
Additional Information
This position will close at 11:59 p.m. on 10/30/2026.
This position will be located onsite 5 days a week in East Peoria, IL (Building KK).
Relocation assistance is NOT available for this position.
Sponsorship is NOT available.
This position may require less than 10% travel