About

Career Area: Students and Graduates 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. 12 Month Industrial Placement Scheme Discipline: Research & Development Engineering Location: Stafford, UK Salary: £26,000, Share Scheme, Pension and 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays). We currently have some exciting opportunities for industrial placement students to join Caterpillar across several of our sites. You will have the opportunity to work with others across our organisation and you will be directly involved, and at the heart of our business, participating on strategic projects. *Please note that in order to be eligible to complete a 12 Month Industrial Placement commencing July 2026, you must be in your penultimate year of study unless enrolled in an integrated master’s program. What do we do? Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. Since 1925, we’ve been driving sustainable progress and helping customers build a better world through innovative products and services. Throughout the product life cycle, we offer services built on cutting-edge technology and decades of product expertise. These products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value to help our customers succeed. We have a clear vision to be the global leader in providing customer value in the markets in which we operate. Our core values (Integrity, Excellence, Teamwork, Commitment and Sustainability) are key to our success. The Roles available are 12-month Industrial Placements within the Product Engineering department at Stafford Engine Centre (SEC). SEC Designs, Develops and Manufactures the Perkins 4000 and 5000 Series. The Placement will focus on Diesel and Gas Internal Combustion Engines and offer opportunities to work on a variety of projects across multiple systems and disciplines. Depending on your skill set, the role could include Design Engineering, Customer Service Engineering, Product Development Testing and Facilitation. Diversity at Caterpillar When we leverage our people's experiences, backgrounds, and cultures in an inclusive environment, we enable every individual to achieve their full potential, which drives business success. We are proud to be active partners with both the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) & Women's Engineering Society (WES). We also have numerous well supported employee resource groups. Caterpillar is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds. What experiences can we offer you? As an equal opportunity employer, we value diversity at Caterpillar and believe the more experience you can gain early in your career the further you can go. That’s why during our yearlong scheme we place an emphasis on multiple diverse projects. You will have the opportunity to work and collaborate with people in Caterpillar facilities worldwide and we are looking for you to bring fresh, innovative ideas to solve complex technical problems. You will be a fully involved team member with responsibility and accountability for key project deliverables. That said, you will be given all the support you require to be successful. Our placement roles have the additional benefit of a workplace mentor; this could be your manager or a technical expert who will support you throughout your time at Caterpillar and help you gain the professional development and skills you need to be set up for success! Our placement students can expect to return to university with further developed technical skills and experience of how University learning is applied to the workplace. We also operate a conditional offer process; our highest performing placement students are fast tracked to our graduate development scheme. This includes a financial incentive and the potential of a summer work placement. Offers will be made based on the condition that a graduate role is available at the time of your graduation and that you achieve a min of 2:2. Job duties and responsibilities, depending on allocation, may include but are not limited to: Design Engineering - This role includes component and system design in a CAD space. You will work to solve real world problems on large engines; be that quality issue resolution or development of new components. Gain exposure and experiences in CAD systems, component/system design, DFMEAs, DVPRs and Engineering Change Management. Testing Engineering - You will work in the team responsible for the build, instrumentation and testing of large engines for product development. The role includes data measurement and acquisition, provisioning of results and use of computerised test bed controls. Additionally, managing data quality and assist engineers in test methodology and results interpretation. Development Engineering - In this role, the focus will be on engine development including performance and emissions calibration, validation of components and defect resolution. You will define and manage component validation plans, coordinate day-to-day test activities, interpret data and manage failure analysis and first response. Service Engineering - This role will be within the service and warranty team focusing on investigating and resolving field issues related to customer engines. It will focus on root cause analysis, liaising and problem solving with our suppliers and issue resolution. Additionally, you will gain exposure to diagnostic customer support, Issue management and collaboration across multi-functional teams for symptom solution. Who are we looking for? As the type of roles within our business are becoming more diverse, we are looking for people who are open minded, excellent problem solvers and who have an ability to learn quickly. You will be motivated, hard-working, and will embrace change. In return for your dedication and hard work, you will be provided with excellent career opportunities and strong support for your personal and career development to pursue a career within Caterpillar. Applicants will be on target to achieve a minimum of 2:2 honours degree level in a relevant discipline. Open to all candidates studying an Engineering based degree such as: Mechanical Engineering, Motorsport Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Motorcycle Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering & Systems Engineering Candidates may have developed some skills or have gained experiences in the following areas: Data analysis and reporting Focus on Quality Focus on Safety Decision Making Initiating Action Innovation Project Leadership Planning and organising Presentation and communication of results Effective Teamwork Recruitment Process Guidelines: Here is a brief overview of what you can expect when applying to our Early Career roles… Online Application: The first stage of the process is to complete the online application and attach your CV, this must be done before the closing date of the role that you're applying for. Once we reach the close date, we will begin reviewing all our applications, this may take a little while and we will contact you as soon as possible to let you know if you have been successful in moving forward to the next stage. Stage one – Video Interview: If selected, you will be invited to complete a user-friendly video interview which will then be reviewed by the Hiring Team. At this stage, if you are successful, you will be invited to attend an Assessment Centre which we anticipate will be held during the 1st week in February 2026 onsite at our Stafford facility so please try to keep that week free. We would also recommend that you check your spam emails and your Workday account for updates. Stage two - Assessment Centre: The Assessment Centre Day will look at a range of behaviours such as teamwork, decision-making, communication, and problem-solving. We aim to make these days fun, inclusive and as relaxed as possible. Stage three – Offer: After the Assessment Centre, the Caterpillar team will review the feedback and extend offers to our preferred candidates, we aim to do this as quickly as possible. Placement students will start on 6th July 2026. We look forward to receiving your application to join Caterpillar! NOTES: Only one application is required, please do not apply for multiple roles. You may be given the opportunity of being considered for other roles/locations at a later stage. The panel cannot make assumptions when shortlisting therefore please demonstrate your qualifications and experience on your CV relevant to the criteria outlined. Pending the number of applications, the criteria for the position may be enhanced to facilitate shortlisting. This may also include an adjustment to the application deadline date. This role is based from the office in Stafford and will require working from the site all week. Posting Dates: October 28, 2025 - November 26, 2025 Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community. There’s more to work at Caterpillar than just the work itself. We hire smart, friendly people and it shows in our culture. We hold ourselves to high standards and make sure our values of integrity, excellence, teamwork, commitment and sustainability come to life in the way we work. We make sure our employees feel continuously challenged while also supported. We provide professional growth opportunities, including leadership programs. We celebrate the diversity of our team, while also working together as one Caterpillar. Our culture, like everything at our company, is made possible by each employee’s contribution. Person by person, we create the environment we work in, and we are proud of the Caterpillar we’ve built.