Job Title
Test Engineer
Contract
Permanent
Salary
Up to £45,000 doe
Location
Peterlee, County Durham
Hours
Full‑Time – 36.50, 5 days on site
Travel
Up to 15%
Closing Date
14/06/2026
Job Requisition
R0000373201
About Caterpillar Peterlee
Caterpillar Peterlee is the worldwide source of Cat® Articulated Trucks, currently producing an 8-model range used in many industries including mining, construction and aggregates. The facility's manufacturing activities use the latest computer analysis techniques, robotic technology and automated dump body paint plant. Machines from the site are shipped to customers around the world.
The Opportunity
This is a hands‑on engineering role where you’ll directly influence the performance and reliability of Caterpillar’s Articulated Trucks, machines that operate in some of the toughest environments in the world.
As a Test Engineer, you’ll bring new products and technologies to life, taking them from concept through validation and into production. You’ll design and execute test programmes across rigs, facilities, and real‑world conditions, ensuring our machines meet the highest standards before they reach our customers.
You’ll work at the heart of engineering, collaborating closely with design, manufacturing, and global teams to solve problems, improve product quality, and drive robust, production‑ready solutions.
This role offers real ownership and visibility. You won’t just follow test plans, you’ll shape them, improve them, and challenge existing methods to make testing smarter, faster, and more effective.
If you enjoy understanding how things work, pushing products to their limits, and turning data into meaningful engineering decisions, this is an opportunity to make a tangible impact on world‑class machines.
Primary Roles / Responsibilities
- Resolving issues regarding the design or manufacturing. Ensuring design acceptance and manufacturing readiness.
- Participating in the adoption of new technologies and processes (automation, robotics, computer‑aided manufacturing software, etc.) to achieve greater efficiency, cost reduction and quality improvement.
- Planning and improving testing procedures and operations to make the test more reliable, efficient and cost‑effective.
- Monitoring results, machine and process capabilities and performance reliability.
- Requires a degree in an accredited Engineering, Computer Science, or Materials Science curriculum or equivalent experience working in an Engineering function.
Degree Requirement
Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience desired.
Skills, Experience & Qualifications
- 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.
- Technical Excellence: Knowledge of a given technology and various application methods; ability to develop and provide solutions to significant technical challenges.
- Product Testing: Knowledge of product testing approaches, techniques and tools; ability to design, plan and execute testing strategies and tactics to ensure product quality at all stages of manufacturing.
- Troubleshooting Technical Problems: Knowledge of troubleshooting approaches, tools and techniques; ability to anticipate, detect and resolve technical problems in a manufacturing or product development environment.
- 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.
Benefits
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays including additional service days awarded every 2 years up to a maximum of 5 days.
- Up to 10% annual bonus.
- Defined Contribution Pension Scheme (Contribution double by Company up to 10%).
- Share Ownership Scheme (50% company matched).
- Personalised flexible benefits.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
Equal Opportunity
Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.
