Senior Power Electronics Performance & Application Engineer

Location: Mossville, Illinois

Career Area

Engineering

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.

About IDES

Caterpillar’s Integrated Drivetrain Energy Solutions (IDES) Division will focus on delivering advanced electrified power train, zero-emissions products/technologies, and the solutions and services associated with these technologies. Focus areas include batteries, fuel cells, motors, inverters, micro grid controllers, charging, energy storage systems, lifecycle solutions/services and integration of components for ePowertrain solutions across industries.

We are looking for top talent to build and scale the next generation of technologies, products and services to help our customers build a better—more sustainable—world. We need self-motivated, intelligent and team-oriented individuals to make our plans a reality. Individuals with high emotional intelligence, humility and openness to discovery will thrive in the teams we are building.

The Senior Performance / Simulation / Application Engineer will provide technical leadership for the analysis, simulation, application, and electrical integration of Medium Voltage Power Electronics (MVPE) solutions across electrified machine platforms. The engineer will translate machine and system-level requirements into power electronics performance requirements, component selections, system architectures, and validated design solutions.

This position will use modeling, simulation, trade studies, and engineering analysis to optimize inverter, converter, power module, DC-link, protection, and related electrical systems for performance, efficiency, reliability, thermal capability, cost, and application requirements. The engineer will work across product development and machine application teams to ensure MVPE solutions perform as an integrated electrical system from initial concept through validation and production.

This position is located in Mossville, IL.

Domestic travel up to 25% & minimal international travel is required.

Domestic relocation assistance is offered for this position.

Visa sponsorship is NOT offered for this position.

All roles at Caterpillar Inc. report on-site 5 days per week.

Key Responsibilities

System Performance & Simulation

Develop and apply electrical and system-level models to predict power electronics performance, evaluate operating conditions, identify design limits, and guide architecture and component decisions.

Component Selection & Optimization

Lead analytical selection and sizing of critical electrical components including power semiconductors, DC-link capacitors, bus structures, contactors, protection devices, filtering components, sensors, and supporting power conversion hardware.

Electrical Architecture & Integration

Translate machine requirements into electrical architectures, component requirements, interface definitions, operating envelopes, and design constraints for MVPE systems. Partner with controls, electrical, mechanical, thermal, validation, and machine integration teams to optimize system-level performance.

Application Engineering

Analyze machine duty cycles, voltage and current requirements, transient conditions, thermal loading, fault conditions, and other application requirements to ensure power electronics solutions are appropriately sized and applied.

Design Trade Studies

Lead technical trade studies evaluating architecture, topology, component technology, performance, efficiency, thermal capability, reliability, packaging, cost, and system implications. Use analytical results to provide clear recommendations and influence design direction.

Validation & Model Correlation

Define performance requirements and validation methods, correlate analytical models to laboratory and machine test data, investigate performance gaps, and improve simulation fidelity throughout development.

Technical Leadership

Serve as a technical resource for power electronics analysis and application engineering, coach engineers in simulation and analytical methods, and help establish reusable models, analysis methods, design guidelines, and engineering best practices.

Cross-Functional Development

Collaborate with global engineering teams, suppliers, manufacturing, validation teams, and machine programs throughout concept development, NPI, validation, and production implementation. The existing MVPE role definition similarly places importance on supplier collaboration, NPI, DFMEA, APQP, and production readiness.

What You Have

Degree Requirement

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, Power Electronics, Systems Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in electrical system analysis, power electronics, electric drive systems, or electrified machine applications.
• Experience applying modeling and simulation to engineering design and component selection.
• Strong understanding of electrical circuits, power conversion, system interactions, and engineering fundamentals.
• Strong analytical problem-solving and technical communication skills.
• Process Management: Knowledge of business process improvement tools and techniques; ability to understand, monitor, update, control, or enhance existing business or work processes.

Level Extensive Experience

• Helps others learn the tools and techniques for process value analysis.
• Carries out process evaluation, diagnosis, and optimization.
• Demonstrates a thorough understanding of a major process flow, its components and issues.
• Synchronizes the efforts of, and resource requirements for, several teams within a process.
• Makes the business case for new processes, including their cost-benefit ratios.
• Possesses knowledge of tools and techniques for designing and implementing new processes.

Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.

Level Extensive Experience

• Evaluates and makes contributions to best practices.
• Processes large quantities of detailed information with high levels of accuracy.
• Productively balances speed and accuracy.
• Implements a variety of cross-checking approaches and mechanisms.
• Demonstrates expertise in quality assurance tools, techniques, and standards.
• Employs techniques for motivating employees to meet or exceed accuracy goals.

Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.

Level Extensive Experience

• Seeks discrepancies and inconsistencies in available information; explains variances.
• Organizes and prioritizes the sequence of steps to be taken to remedy the situation.
• Identifies many possible causes for a problem based on prior experience and current research.
• Quantifies the costs, benefits, risks and chances for success before recommending a course of action.
• Approaches a complex problem by breaking it down into its component parts.
• Chooses among a diverse set of analytical tools according to the nature of the situation.

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.

Level Working Knowledge

• Delivers helpful feedback that focuses on behaviors without offending the recipient.
• Listens to feedback without defensiveness and uses it for own communication effectiveness.
• Makes oral presentations and writes reports needed for own work.
• Avoids technical jargon when inappropriate.
• Looks for and considers non-verbal cues from individuals and groups.

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 Extensive Experience

• Ensures capture of lessons to be learned from a problem-solving effort.
• Organizes potential problem solvers and leads problem resolution efforts.
• Uses varying problem-solving approaches and techniques as appropriate.
• Contributes to standard practices for problem-solving approaches, tools, and processes.
• Analyzes and synthesizes information and devises alternative resolution strategies.
• Develops successful resolutions to critical or wide-impact problems.

Technical Excellence: Knowledge of a given technology and various application methods; ability to develop and provide solutions to significant technical challenges.

Level Working Knowledge

• Provides effective technical solutions to routine functional challenges via sound technical competence, effectively examining implications of events and issues.
• Effectively performs the technical job aspects, continuously building knowledge and keeping up-to-date on technical and procedural job components.
• Applies technical operating and project standards based on achieving excellence in delivered products, technologies and services.
• Applies current procedures and technologies to help resolve technical issues in one's general area of technical competence.
• Helps others solve technical or procedural problems or issues.

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 Working Knowledge

• Provides input for Gantt or PERT charts or their equivalent to track project progress and status.
• Under guidance, plans and estimates simple projects.
• Assists in detailed project plans including cost, schedule, and resource requirements.
• Obtains information from stakeholders during the planning stage of a project.
• Produces standard project status reports.

Computer-Aided Design & Engineering: Knowledge of tools and techniques of specialized graphics programs; ability to produce, analyze, simulate and test product design drafts.

Level Extensive Experience

• Coaches others on orthographic, isometric and axonometric projections.
• Presents complex products and systems graphically.
• Performs manipulations on design objects, such as changing projections and managing drawing layers.
• Directs the matrix computations performed to transform objects in coordinate space.
• Consults on benefits and drawbacks of top-down design vs. bottom-up design.
• Compares and contrasts uses of bird's-eye views and worm's-eye views.

Top Candidates Will Have

• Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or a related discipline.
• Experience with medium- or high-voltage power electronics, including inverters, converters, power modules, DC-link systems, bus structures, and protection systems.
• Experience with electrical and power electronics simulation tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, PLECS, PSIM, SPICE, or comparable modeling environments.
• Knowledge of semiconductor technologies and application considerations, including IGBT and SiC devices, switching behavior, losses, thermal limits, and device protection.
• Experience analyzing system efficiency, electrical losses, transient behavior, harmonics, thermal loading, fault conditions, and component life.
• Experience correlating simulation predictions with component, laboratory, or machine-level test results.
• Familiarity with diesel-electric, battery-electric, Dynamic Energy Transfer, or other high-power electrified equipment applications.
• Experience supporting NPI activities, technical design reviews, DFMEA, DVP&R, requirements development, and validation planning.

Summary Pay Range

$112,710.00 - $169,060.00

Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar.

Benefits

• Subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of benefits.
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits*
• Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*
• 401(k) savings plans*

Health Savings Account (HSA)*

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*

Health Lifestyle Programs*

Employee Assistance Program*

Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts*

Career Development*

Incentive bonus*

Disability benefits

Life Insurance

Parental leave

Adoption benefits

Tuition Reimbursement

• These benefits also apply to part-time employees

• This position requires working onsite five days a week.
• Relocation is available for this position.
• Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Posting Dates

• November 5, 2026 - November 21, 2026
• Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.
• Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.
• Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community.