Development Engineer Jobs in Indiana
Development Engineer jobs in Indiana are actively sought across the state's manufacturing, automotive, and advanced materials sectors, with openings ranging from early-career positions to senior and principal roles. Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and South Bend anchor most of the hiring, and employers such as Cummins, Eli Lilly, and Raytheon Technologies maintain lasting development engineering presences in Indiana. The most consistent demand is in product development, process engineering, and R&D-focused roles tied to Indiana's industrial and life sciences base. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Career Area:
ProcurementJob 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.
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 LPSD
The Large Power Systems Division (LPSD) is part of Caterpillar’s Power & Energy segment. Through this global organization, Caterpillar designs and manufacture large (greater than 18 liters) diesel and natural gas engines, powertrains and key engine systems. LPSD products and solutions support customers across power generation, industrial, marine, oil & gas, rail, services and Cat® machine applications worldwide.
Job Summary
We are seeking a Supplier Development Engineer. This person will assess supplier quality and ensure that all the products are free from defects and are in compliance with manufacturing specifications and legal standards.
What you will do:
- Ensuring the quality of supplies by conducting tests and assessments on incoming supplies to identify any quality issues; Developing supplier inspection, testing, and evaluation mechanism.
- Generating reports on supplier quality, by monitoring their defect rates and areas that can lead to potential flaws; Guiding suppliers to reduce these defect rates.
- Researching the potential vendors, assessing their manufacturing environment, practices, and procedures; Conducting supplier quality control audits to ensure compliance with organizational and federal policies and standards.
- Supporting suppliers in improving their performance through process enhancements, implementing process controls, and developing quality assurance plans.
What you will have:
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 Extensive Experience:
- Reviews others' writing or presentations and provides feedback and coaching.
- Adapts documents and presentations for the intended audience.
- Demonstrates both empathy and assertiveness when communicating a need or defending a position.
- Communicates well downward, upward, and outward.
- Employs appropriate methods of persuasion when soliciting agreement.
- Maintains focus on the topic at hand.
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.
Process Improvement: Understanding and insight into evaluating current product quality and production methods and ability to maintains focus on the continuous improvement of processes, products and services.
Level Extensive Experience:
- Streamlines the critical workflow for executing key processes.
- Sets priorities for addressing process problems that limit performance.
- Develops methods for improving and establishing controls for critical processes.
- Monitors external sources for applicable new methods and controls.
- Analyzes findings from improvement cycles to ensure success of interventions.
- Coaches others to develop the skills to improve processes.
Manufacturing Standards, Procedures and Policies: Knowledge of organizational standards, procedures and policies in manufacturing activities; ability to plan, guide, and monitor manufacturing processes for compliance.
Level Extensive Experience:
- Ensures communication vehicles are effectively informing affected areas and personnel.
- Consults on development and implementation of cross-functional standards.
- Participates in the development of organizational policies and practices.
- Develops and uses control and monitoring mechanisms for adherence.
- Collaborates with other functions on establishing and documenting joint standards.
- Participates in defining architectural principles and standards for organization.
Supplier Management - MFG: Knowledge of processes and methods to effectively manage business relationships and transactions with suppliers of raw materials or product components; ability to apply related knowledge, experience and skills into real practice.
Level Extensive Experience:
- Facilitates supplier partnering arrangements that share risk and reward.
- Monitors supplier performance; works to resolve discrepancies between performance and agreements.
- Develops quality standards and controls for suppliers.
- Builds and maintains partnerships with multiple and/or large suppliers.
- Evaluates issues and terminates supplier relationships as appropriate; works with legal departments.
- Ensures the fulfillment of report and record-keeping requirements.
Supplier Evaluations and Certification: Knowledge of supplier evaluations and certification; ability to identify the methods, tools and documentation for evaluating, selecting and certifying vendors, suppliers and partners.
Level Expert:
- Leads discussions on the case studies of effective and ineffective processes and what can be learned from each.
- Designs systematic protocols and procedures for supplier evaluations & certification in the organization.
- Establishes organizational standards, metrics and best practices for supplier evaluations & certification in the organization.
- Advocates the development of new technologies and tools for supplier evaluations and certification.
- Creates a system to document the performance and quality of existing suppliers and products.
- Predicts the future trends of supplier evaluations & certification.
Top Candidates May Have:
- Prior Supplier Development Experience
- Manufacturing Experience – Experience running machinery, evaluating machinery, setting up machinery, troubleshooting machinery, etc.
- ASQ Certification
Additional Information:
- This position may require travel up to 30%
Summary Pay Range:
$128,470.00 - $192,710.00Compensation 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
Relocation is available for this position. Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.
Posting Dates:
September 25, 2026 - October 8, 2026Any 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.
See All 35 Development Engineer Jobs in Indiana
Find roles in Indiana that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Development Engineer JobsDevelopment Engineer Jobs by City in Indiana
Where Indiana roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Development Engineer Job Market in Indiana
A snapshot from current Indiana openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Technology & Software
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Transportation & Logistics
What Indiana Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in development engineer jobs across Indiana.
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, or related engineering field required
- Proficiency in CAD software such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD for design and modeling
- Experience with product lifecycle management and engineering change processes
- Familiarity with manufacturing processes, materials selection, and quality standards
- Strong project coordination skills and ability to work cross-functionally with production teams
- Professional Engineer license issued or recognized in Indiana preferred for senior positions
Development Engineer Jobs in Indiana: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a development engineer in Indiana?
Most development engineer roles in Indiana require a bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, chemical, or industrial engineering from an ABET-accredited program. Indiana does not require a state license to work as a development engineer in most private-sector roles, but earning a Professional Engineer license through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency strengthens candidacy for senior positions. Many Indiana employers also value EIT certification as an early-career credential.
How much do development engineers make in Indiana?
Development engineers in Indiana earn a median of about $113,160 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $89,990 for the lowest 10% to over $135,940 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire development engineers in Indiana?
Indiana development engineer roles are posted by Caterpillar, Zimmer Biomet, and Allegion and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Indiana's concentration of automotive suppliers, defense contractors, and life sciences companies makes it one of the more consistent states for development engineering demand.
Which Indiana cities have the most development engineer jobs?
Indianapolis, Warsaw, and Lafayette account for the largest share of development engineer openings in Indiana. Indianapolis dominates because of its density of corporate headquarters and life sciences employers, while Fort Wayne and South Bend benefit from a strong automotive and precision manufacturing base that continuously requires development engineering talent at multiple experience levels.
Are there remote development engineer jobs in Indiana?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely digital fields, since development engineering often involves lab work, prototype testing, and on-site collaboration with production teams. About 29% of development engineer openings tied to Indiana are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting limited but real flexibility. The portions of the role most likely to be remote are documentation, simulation modeling, and cross-functional design reviews.
How can I get hired as a development engineer in Indiana with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a co-op or internship with an Indiana-based manufacturer or defense contractor, which many employers treat as a direct pipeline to full-time roles. Companies such as Cummins and Raytheon Technologies run structured new-graduate and rotational engineering programs in Indiana. Adjacent roles like test technician, quality engineer, or manufacturing engineer also serve as lateral entry points. An EIT designation from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency gives early-career candidates a measurable edge.
Where can I find and apply to development engineer jobs in Indiana?
You can find and apply to development engineer jobs in Indiana on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from Indiana employers. Search for roles that fit your background, experience level, and preferred location, then apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 35 Development Engineer Jobs in Indiana
Find roles in Indiana that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Development Engineer Jobs