Mechanical Design Engineer - Inverter & Charger Cabinet Systems

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.

Role Definition
Designs, develops, validates mechanical systems and enclosure solutions for power conversion products, including inverter cabinets, charger cabinets, power distribution equipment, switchgear cabinets, and containerized electrical systems. Responsible for translating system requirements into robust, manufacturable, cost-effective mechanical designs from concept development through production release.

Key Responsibilities
Product Design & Development
Lead the mechanical design and development of inverter cabinets, battery charger cabinets, power conversion enclosures, and switchgear systems from concept to production.
Develop cabinet architectures, structural frameworks, mounting arrangements, cooling systems, access provisions, cable routing, and serviceability features.
Create detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, manufacturing drawings, BOMs, and engineering documentation.
Define enclosure layouts considering electrical clearances, creepage distances, thermal management, ingress protection (IP), EMC requirements, maintainability, and safety standards.
Design sheet metal, fabricated structures, welded assemblies, busbar support structures, mounting brackets, doors, locks, hinges, and internal equipment arrangements.
Participate in product architecture reviews and cross-functional design reviews with electrical, manufacturing, sourcing, and quality teams.

Thermal & Structural Design
Develop cooling concepts utilizing natural convection, forced-air ventilation, heat exchangers, or liquid-cooling interfaces as required.
Perform or support structural, vibration, seismic, to ensure product reliability and compliance.
Evaluate cabinet strength, transportation loads, lifting provisions, and environmental performance requirements.

Manufacturing & Supplier Collaboration
Work closely with fabrication suppliers and manufacturing teams to optimize designs for manufacturability, assembly, installation, and cost.
Support prototype builds, factory testing, design validation activities, and issue resolution.
Assist sourcing and supplier quality teams with supplier selection, technical reviews, and continuous improvement activities.
Drive cost reduction, value engineering, and standardization initiatives.
Verification & Compliance
Develop and execute design verification plans.
Support certification and compliance activities related to applicable industry standards.
Investigate field issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions.

Basic Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent engineering discipline.
6+ years of hands-on mechanical design experience in design and development of enclosures and structures for electrical equipment, power electronics, switchgear, power conversion systems, or related industries.
Proven experience designing inverter cabinets, charger cabinets, switchgear enclosures, electrical control cabinets, or containerized power systems from the ground up.
Experience with sheet metal design, structural fabrication, and enclosure development.
Proficiency in 3D CAD tools such as Creo, SolidWorks, NX, or equivalent.

Preferred Qualifications
Experience with:
Utility-scale energy storage systems (BESS)
Power conversion systems (PCS)
Renewable energy products
UPS systems
EV charging infrastructure
MV/LV switchgear
Containerized electrical substations or E-Houses
Familiarity with IEC, UL, NEMA, IP, and electrical equipment enclosure standards.
Knowledge of thermal management and cooling system design.
Experience coordinating with electrical engineering teams on controls, power electronics, and cable management design.

This job requires working from office 5days in a week.

 

Posting Dates:

September 3, 2026 - September 16, 2026

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

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