Senior Manager, Software Test Engineering

Caterpillar Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 159,000 - 259,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) savings plans

Paid time off

Tuition Reimbursement

Incentive bonus

Parental leave

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. is seeking a Senior Manager of Test Engineering to lead a strategic program for AI, autonomy, and software‑defined machines.

You will shape the test strategy, set quality standards, and guide cross‑functional teams through complex challenges to deliver safe, scalable technology for customers in demanding environments. You will build AI tools to improve software testing, advance automation, and establish modern QA practices while partnering with engineering, product, and data

Qualifications

• Leadership experience guiding large software test teams
• Proven ability to translate requirements into test architecture
• Experience with ML/AI testing and automation strategies
• Knowledge of SDLC and quality assurance best practices
• Experience integrating testing across platforms and tools
• Ability to establish governances for AI quality and audit readiness

Responsibilities

• Define and own end-to-end AI testing strategy, tooling, and automation for ML and software systems
• Lead and develop a team of software test leads and ensure quality engineering excellence
• Architect scalable AI test solutions, including model validation and bias/drift detection
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and data science to align testing with roadmaps and safety standards
• Drive continuous improvement in test operations with modern automation and observability
• Establish governance for AI quality with documentation and risk assessment processes

Skills

Organizational Leadership

Software Development

Software Development Life Cycle

Software Integration Engineering

Software Test Architecture

Software Quality Assurance and Testing

Tools

Java

AWS Bedrock

Playwright

Karat

Job description

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.

Career Area

Technology, Digital and Data

Job Description

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.

Job Summary

Caterpillar is seeking a Senior Manager of Test Engineering to lead a critical program supporting the company's AI and autonomy efforts. In this role, you will shape the test strategy, quality standards, and execution model for intelligent systems that power the next generation of connected, autonomous, and software-defined machines. This leader will guide cross-functional teams through complex technical challenges, build AI tools that improve software testing products, advance modern test automation and AI-enabled quality practices, and ensure Caterpillar delivers safe, reliable, and scalable technology for customers working in the world’s most demanding environments.

What You Will Do

• Define and own the end‑to‑end AI testing strategy, including frameworks, tooling, quality gates, and automation approaches for machine‑learning and traditional software systems.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of software test leads, setting clear expectations, elevating technical depth, and fostering a culture of quality engineering excellence.
• Architect scalable AI test solutions, such as model‑validation pipelines, data‑quality checks, bias and drift detection, and performance benchmarking for AI/ML models.
• Partner with engineering, product, and data science leaders to align testing practices with roadmap priorities, ensuring AI features meet reliability, safety, and compliance standards.
• Drive continuous improvement across test operations, introducing modern automation, observability, and tooling that increase coverage, speed, and defect detection accuracy.
• Establish governance and best practices for AI quality, including documentation standards, risk assessments, and audit‑ready processes for regulated or high‑impact systems.

What You Will Have

• Organizational Leadership: Knowledge of leadership concepts and ability to use strategies and skills to enlist others in setting, embracing and achieving objectives.
• Software Development: Knowledge of software development tools and activities; ability to produce software products or systems in line with product requirements.
• Software Development Life Cycle: Knowledge of software development life cycle; ability to use a structured methodology for delivering and managing new or enhanced software products to the marketplace.
• Software Integration Engineering: Knowledge of software integration processes and functions; ability to design, develop and maintain interfaces and linkage to alternative platforms and software packages.
• Software Test Architecture: Knowledge of software product design; ability to convert market requirements into the software product design.
• Software Quality Assurance and Testing: Knowledge of software quality assurance and testing; ability to apply appropriate processes, tools, and techniques for assuring a high level of quality in computer software products and systems.

Top Candidates Will Also Have

• Background: Typical candidate will have 15+ years of software engineering experience with 7+ years leading test engineering teams
• Gen AI Assisted Development: Practical experience leveraging AI-assisted development tools (such as GitHub Copilot or automated agent workflows) to accelerate code generation, boilerplate reduction, and automated testing across multiple teams. Demonstrated experience with AI Test architecture
• Managing Managers: Demonstrated ability to lead and develop engineering managers, setting clear expectations, coaching through complexity, and ensuring consistent execution, talent growth, and accountability across multiple teams.
• Vision & Execution at Scale: Proven ability to set a clear platform and engineering vision and drive multiple complex initiatives in parallel through a large organization of 30+ software test engineers, aligning teams, managing dependencies, and delivering outcomes with consistency and accountability.
• Experience with tools such as Java, AWS bedrock, playwright, karat, ect.

Additional Details

• This position requires the candidate to be based in Chicago, IL
• Relocation assistance is NOT available for this position
• Visa sponsorship is NOT available for this position

Summary Pay Range

$159,120.00 - $258,570.00

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

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Posting Dates

September 25, 2026 - October 4, 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.