Product Lead, Machine Systems

Caterpillar•Dayton, OH

1d•Onsite

About The Position

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 CTCT: Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies (CTCT) is a joint venture between Caterpillar Inc. and Trimble Inc. This division develops positioning, control and automation products for earthmoving and paving machines in the construction and mining industries, using technologies such as GNSS, IMUs, optical total stations, lasers and sonics. The products are used in a range of applications where the operator of the machine benefits from having accurate horizontal and vertical guidance.

Requirements

Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
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.
Knowledge of software engineering; ability to deliver new or enhanced fee-based software products.
Knowledge of strategies, practices and tools for resolving software problems; ability to manage software problems in installed software products.
Knowledge of and experience with the business aspects and operation of a software product; ability to manage install base, current uses, future plans, and product vision.
Demonstrable professional experience working in product management, engineering, or a closely related role
Experience across the full system product development cycle
Skilled in working with external suppliers and partners, and as part of a global team
Highly self-motivated, curious, proactive
Excellent written, verbal, visual, and interpersonal communication skills
Adept at influencing to achieve product outcomes
Attuned to the needs of the internal and external customer
Ability to think like the end user and translate customer needs into market requirements that are aligned with CTCT strategy
Demonstrated ability to make effective, timely product decisions

Nice To Haves

Experience with grade control, construction business, construction machine operation and workflows, and/or automotive component development is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Translating CTCT strategy to product team strategy, distilling product needs from customer needs and requests, and establishing priorities within the Product Team.
Working directly with internal and external customers, suppliers, stakeholders, and multi-discipline engineering teams to develop, maintain, and support compelling, high-quality, innovative systems throughout the complete product lifecycle.
Defining a clear, theme-based roadmap (Now/Next/Later) for Positioning and Controls that enables broader system-level capabilities (e.g., Mastless Grading, Entry-Level Compact solutions).
Engaging deeply in Voice of the Customer (VOC) activities.
Validating problems directly with operators, site managers, and dealers to define requirements based on user needs rather than just technical specs.
Acting as the internal steward of the product backlog and the delivery team’s value pipeline.
Ensuring complete alignment of strategy and execution between Positioning & Controls and Integration & Commissioning teams to deliver product outcomes which meet market/customer needs.
Focusing internally on user experience, solution validation, team efficiency, and technical health.
Ensuring the development team is building the right thing for users, and supporting technical teams in building it right, maximizing the value delivered every single sprint.
Maintaining regular and open communication channels with members to learn key inputs into building the right product, and keeping members informed on velocity, predictability, quality and other important criteria as the team builds the right product.
Partnering with the Product Manager and UX design teams to conduct user discovery to unearth root pain points.
Working closely with UX/Design to validate solutions via prototypes and mockups before development begins, ensuring features are intuitive for target operators.
Translating high-level themes from the Product Manager into precise User Stories and detailed Acceptance Criteria.
Owning the prioritization and refinement of the backlog, ensuring a perpetually "ready" pipeline of 2-3 sprints of defined work.
Integrating supportability requirements to ensure products are easy to upgrade, maintain, and troubleshoot.
Acting as the Execution Shield for the engineering team, serving as the sole point of contact for external queries to minimize mid-sprint scope changes.
Partnering with Engineering leadership to allocate capacity for technical debt and infrastructure to ensure foundational system health.
Defining the "Definition of Done" and formally approving completed features, ensuring they are bug-free and meet the original user-centric intent.
Proactively identifying cross-team dependencies and securing commitments from other groups (Systems Engineering, Installation Solutions, Hardware, V&V).