2026 Engineering Internship Program- Materials Engineering

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.

About the Role ?

Caterpillar's Corporate Engineering Intern program seeks students currently enrolled in a four-year university to work alongside engineering professionals to learn and apply themselves to project work within their teams.

Interns will have assignments that provide them with experience and significant learning opportunities. In addition to this work, Interns can network with management throughout the company to learn about Caterpillar areas outside their assigned team.

Students can deepen their business skills in their assignments through team and business partner interactions, develop their skills, conduct presentations, and measure their success through the performance and evaluation process.

What You Will Do

You'll join a team with diverse project responsibilities and have valuable networking opportunities with all levels of Caterpillar employees. The internship is a 40-hour-per-week assignment lasting 12 weeks. You can focus on building technical abilities in roles including (but not limited to) :

Ferrous Metallurgy : Deepen your understanding of wrought steels and ferrous castings through hands-on assignments in the foundry, traveling to our extensive supply base, or using advanced equipment in a lab setting

Failure Analysis : Tackle urgent issues impacting our customers by developing your metallography, fractography, and microscopy skills under the guidance and mentoring of veteran experts

Quality Engineering : Work in a Caterpillar factory environment where you will learn to apply materials engineering inspection methods and problem-solving techniques to deliver our products to customers at the quality levels they expect

Heat Treat Engineering : Gain hands-on experience with heat treat production operations, including recipe development, quality control, efficiency improvements, and capital projects

Product Development : Provide materials engineering support to design engineers developing our next generation of products while you develop a broader knowledge of Caterpillar's applications and markets

What You Have - Skills and Experiences

In this role, you will have the opportunity to contribute your unique skills and experiences. Below are some of the most critical skills.

Analytical skills, initiating ideas, troubleshooting, root cause analysis, problem-solving, and critical thinking capabilities.

Knowledge of engineering principles, theory, and engineering experience gained through projects, internships, and / or relevant work experiences.

Fundamental understanding of engineering for a manufacturing environment, ability to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that safely realize a desired objective or invention.

Organize and manage multiple projects simultaneously, ability to quickly gain, and effectively apply new skills & knowledge.

Success in collaborating with others of diverse cultures, interpersonal styles, and abilities.

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Participate in, and build on our inclusive, constructive, and productive work environment.

Ensure all team members' contributions are recognized and valued.

Internship Program Qualifications :

Must be enrolled full-time in a 4-year university / college pursuing an ABET accredited degree in in a Materials Engineering discipline (e.g. Metallurgical Eng, Ceramic Eng, Materials Science, etc.) at the time of application and throughout the program.

A Mechanical Engineering degree with a minor in Materials Engineering may be considered .

Must have completed 30 semester hours before the start of the internship.If a transfer student must have 12 semester hours completed at a 4-year university

Minimum 3.0 / 4.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average (no rounding) at current institution

Must be able to relocate to Peoria, IL area or indicated work location for the duration of the internship and complete daily work commute using reliable transportation.

Top candidates can also have :

Previous technical internship, co-op, or research / relevant experience

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Additional Information :

Please attach your resume and an unofficial copy of your transcript to your application.

Applicants will be considered for positions throughout the United States.

Sponsorship is NOT available for this position.

These positions will be in the Peoria, Illinois area .

This position requires working onsite five days a week.

Final details :

Please frequently check the email associated with your application, including the junk / spam folder, as this is the primary correspondence method. If you wish to know the status of your application - please use the candidate log-in on our career website as it will reflect any updates to your status.

For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com / social media.

Summary Pay Range : $25.00 - $43.00

Intern Hour Rate :

An intern's hourly rate is based on the major / degree being pursued and the number of completed academic hours achieved before the start of the internship.

Intern Benefits :

The total rewards package, beyond base salary, may include if eligible :

Accrued Paid Time Off (PTO)

Paid Holidays

Paid Volunteer Day

Housing Stipend

Relocation Assistance

Medical coverage

Voluntary benefits

Relocation is available for this position.

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position. This employer is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as, H, L, TN, F, J, E, O. As a global company, Caterpillar offers many job opportunities outside of the U.S which can be found through our employment website at www.caterpillar.com / careers.

Posting Dates :

July 23, 2025 - March 31, 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.

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