Engineering Project Team Leader

Caterpillar; Peoria (IL); On-site; USD 128,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) savings plans

Paid time off

Tuition Reimbursement

Incentive bonus

Job summary

Caterpillar is seeking an Engineering Project Team Lead in Peoria, IL to guide MWL machine new product introductions from concept to production. You will align machine-level requirements, lead cross‑functional teams, and drive decisions across hardware, software, and validation to meet safety, quality, and cost targets.

The role emphasizes mentoring engineers, coordinating with manufacturing and suppliers, and ensuring a robust verification strategy before production release.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a closely related technical field.
• Progressive experience in product design, development, machine integration, systems engineering, validation, or current production engineering.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical work across multiple engineering systems and cross-functional teams.
• Experience making and communicating technical trade-off decisions using requirements, analysis, test data, risk, and business priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex issues clearly to technical teams and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own machine-level technical leadership for MWL machine new product introduction programs from concept through production.
• Define, document, and align machine-level technical requirements, architecture, interfaces, and content with product strategy and customer needs.
• Lead system teams to integrate structures, powertrain, hydraulics, electrical, controls, software, operator systems, attachments, and emerging technologies into a complete machine solution.
• Drive technical trade-off decisions across performance, quality, cost, manufacturability, serviceability, reliability, compliance, and schedule.
• Establish clear technical priorities, decision paths, and issue ownership; escalate unresolved risks with fact-based recommendations.
• Lead design reviews, integration reviews, technical readiness assessments, and resolution of cross-system issues.

Skills

Engineering leadership

System integration

Trade-off decisions

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

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.

Lead machine integration. Align technical decisions. Deliver the next generation of Medium Wheel Loaders.

Role Summary
The Engineering Project Team Lead is the technical lead for Medium Wheel Loader machine new product introduction programs. This role defines and aligns machine requirements and content, leads integration across system teams, and drives technical decisions needed to achieve product, quality, cost, and schedule targets. The Tech Lead connects customer needs, business priorities, engineering execution, validation, manufacturing, and product support to deliver safe, compliant, high-quality machines.

What You Will Do

• Own machine-level technical leadership for assigned MWL machine new product introduction programs from concept through production.
• Define, document, and align machine-level technical requirements, architecture, interfaces, and content with product strategy and customer needs.
• Lead system teams to integrate structures, powertrain, hydraulics, electrical, controls, software, operator systems, attachments, and emerging technologies into a complete machine solution.
• Drive technical trade-off decisions across performance, quality, cost, manufacturability, serviceability, reliability, compliance, and schedule.
• Establish clear technical priorities, decision paths, and issue ownership. Escalate unresolved risks with fact-based recommendations.
• Lead design reviews, integration reviews, technical readiness assessments, and resolution of cross-system issues.
• Partner with validation teams to create a machine-level verification and validation strategy, confirm requirements coverage, and close gaps before production release.
• Coordinate with manufacturing, supply management, suppliers, product support, commercial teams, and global engineering partners to ensure solutions are executable across the value chain.
• Monitor technical maturity and communicate status, risks, decisions, and recovery plans to program and engineering leadership.
• Support builds, testing, production launch, and early field issue resolution while protecting long-term product integrity.
• Guide value engineering and cost leadership activities without compromising customer value, safety, compliance, or quality.
• Mentor engineers and system leads, strengthen technical capability, and promote disciplined product development and continuous improvement.

Key Accountabilities

• Machine requirements and traceability: Ensure customer and business needs are translated into clear, measurable, and verifiable machine requirements.
• Machine architecture and integration: Maintain alignment of system interfaces, configuration content, software and controls integration, and machine-level performance.
• Technical decisions: Provide the technical judgment needed to resolve conflicts, document decisions, and maintain alignment across teams.
• Product quality and readiness: Drive early risk identification, robust design, validation closure, and technical readiness for release and production.
• Program delivery: Help the program achieve agreed product, quality, cost, and schedule commitments through disciplined technical execution.
• Technical capability: Coach team members, share lessons learned, improve standard work, and build stronger systems-thinking across the MWL organization.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a closely related technical field.
• Progressive experience in product design, development, machine integration, systems engineering, validation, or current production engineering.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical work across multiple engineering systems and cross-functional teams.
• Experience making and communicating technical trade-off decisions using requirements, analysis, test data, risk, and business priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex issues clearly to technical teams and leadership.

Desired Skills and Proficiency

• Technical Expertise and Coaching - Expert: Provides recognized technical expertise, coaches engineers and system leads, and teaches sound engineering practices.
• Product Design and Development - Expert: Leads product development from requirements and concept selection through design, validation, release, production, and issue resolution.
• Application Design and Machine Architecture - Expert: Defines and aligns machine applications, architecture, interfaces, and technical content to deliver the intended full-machine outcome.
• Machine Communication and Systems Integration - Expert: Leads integration across machine systems, controls, software, communication networks, and interfaces to achieve machine-level requirements.
• Machine Dynamics - Proficient: Works independently and leaders analysis and technical decisions involving machine behavior, performance, stability, and system interactions.
• Cost Leadership and Value Engineering - Proficient: Leads trade-off discussions and value‑engineering work that balances customer value, technical performance, quality, and cost.
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning - Proficient: Works independently and leads appropriate application of artificial intelligence and machine‑learning methods to machine or engineering needs.
• Autonomous Safety and Collision Avoidance Systems - Proficient: Works independently and leads technical integration of autonomous safety and collision‑avoidance capabilities within the machine solution.

Top Candidates Will Also Have

• Experience serving as the technical lead for a machine new product introduction program.
• Experience coordinating multiple system teams and resolving full‑machine integration issues.
• Ability to make clear technical trade‑offs and communicate recommendations to engineering and program leadership.
• A demonstrated record of coaching technical talent and building stronger engineering capability.

Success in This Role

Success means the machine solution is technically aligned, requirements are clear, interfaces are managed, risks are surfaced early, decisions are timely, and the integrated product meets customer and business commitments. The MWL Tech Lead is accountable for connecting the technical details to the full‑machine outcome and helping the broader team deliver with quality and discipline.

Additional Information

• Primary work location: Peoria, Illinois.
• Full‑time, on‑site work is expected five days per week.
• Sponsorship is not available for this position.
• Relocation assistance is available.
• Up to 15% domestic and international travel may be required.

This position requires working onsite five days a week.Relocation is available for this position.Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Summary Pay Range:

$128,470.00 - $192,710.00

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

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.

Posting Dates: October 13, 2026 - October 27, 2026