Product Lead, Machine Systems

Caterpillar Inc.•Dayton, OH

3d•$128,470 - $208,770•Onsite

About The Position

As the Product Lead for the Machine Systems group within CTCT, you will be a key member of an empowered and accountable Product Team that has true ownership of their product; sellable, installable, and supportable positioning and controls solutions that increase market penetration and system sales revenue. Your product responsibilities will include Positioning, Control, Commissioning, and integration of software into the heavy and compact construction, paving, and mining industries. Product Strategy & Vision: You will be responsible for translating CTCT strategy to product team strategy, distilling product needs from customer needs and requests, and establishing priorities within the Product Team. You will work 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. Define 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). Customer Insight & Definition: Engage deeply in Voice of the Customer (VOC) activities. Validate problems directly with operators, site managers, and dealers to define requirements based on user needs rather than just technical specs. The Product Lead acts 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. You are focused internally on user experience, solution validation, team efficiency, and technical health. Your primary responsibility is to ensure 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.

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

Translate high-level themes from the Product Manager into precise User Stories and detailed Acceptance Criteria.
Own the prioritization and refinement of the backlog, ensuring a perpetually "ready" pipeline of 2-3 sprints of defined work.
Integrate supportability requirements to ensure products are easy to upgrade, maintain, and troubleshoot.
Act as the Execution Shield for the engineering team, serving as the sole point of contact for external queries to minimize mid-sprint scope changes.
Partner with Engineering leadership to allocate capacity for technical debt and infrastructure to ensure foundational system health.
Define the "Definition of Done" and formally approve completed features, ensuring they are bug-free and meet the original user-centric intent.
Proactively identify cross-team dependencies and secure commitments from other groups (Systems Engineering, Installation Solutions, Hardware, V&V).
Maintain 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.
Partner with the Product Manager and UX design teams to conduct user discovery to unearth root pain points.
Work closely with UX/Design to validate solutions via prototypes and mockups before development begins, ensuring features are intuitive for target operators.
Ensure 90% of features entering development have documented validation to demonstrate value and usability.