Entry Level Metallurgical Engineer Jobs in California

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.
This position is part of our Gas Turbine Products Engineering Rotation Program within Turbomachinery Products (TMP). The TMP Engineering Rotation Program provides the foundation for continued growth and long-term success of both our engineers and our organization. Entry Level engineers will gain access to challenging assignments intended to generate critical business value and enable the engineer to acquire gas turbine product knowledge. These assignments across an array of diverse engineering departments will grow the Entry Level engineer's professional network, cultivate an enterprise perspective, and maximize engagement within an organization of technical specialists. This program is tailored to the engineer's proficiencies and interests in preparation for a challenging and rewarding engineering career at Solar Turbines.
Each program consists of multiple rotations of up to six months each in departments such as:

• Materials and Process Engineering
• Mechanical Design
• Additive Manufacturing
• Turbine Production Engineering
• Gears and Rotor Engineering
• Experimental Product Development and Test
• Condition Based Engineering
• Aftermarket Engineering
• Customer Services

At the conclusion of the rotation program, the Entry Level engineer will join Materials and Process Engineering for their long-term assignment.
Minimum Qualifications:

• Must have obtained or will obtain a minimum of a bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering or Ceramics Engineering.
• Overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or higher.
• Must have obtained or will obtain a Bachelor's degree or greater between May 2025 and Dec 2027.
• Less than one year of relevant industry experience.
• Technical knowledge of engineering fundamentals.
• Must be able and eager to relocate to San Diego, CA.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated leadership and teamwork capabilities.
• Effective problem-solving skills and technical judgment.
• Ability to effectively articulate technical challenges and solutions.
• Exhibit exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Previous related internship or co-op experience.
• Ability to handle multiple priorities for a variety of tasks.

Applicable Skills:

• Knowledge of physical and mechanical metallurgy, characterization, and thermo-mechanical processing.
• Knowledge of coatings for oxidation and/or corrosion protection.
• Exposure to failure analysis methods for metallic components
• Material modeling
• Statistics / Data analytics
• Coding, ie. MATLAB, Python, C#, etc.
• Effective written and oral communication skills
• Creative problem-solving capabilities
• Self-motivated

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.
Summary Pay Range:
$72,360.00 - $108,540.00
Compensation 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
This position requires working onsite five days a week.
Relocation is available for this position.
Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.
Posting Dates:
August 11, 2026 - August 25, 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.
Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community.