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Control Systems Engineering Specialist - Power Electronics & Software

Caterpillar · Mossville, IL · $128,470–$192,710 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 25, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a power electronics problem that only showed up on real hardware. How did you track it down?

What they are checking: Hands-on debugging skill with scopes, logs and hardware, which simulation alone does not build.

Describe a time you had to explain a complex control or power electronics tradeoff to non-specialists who had to make the call.

What they are checking: Whether they can make technical tradeoffs clear to leaders and partners balancing near-term and long-term goals.

What would you do

APT supports power and energy applications from generators to energy storage. How would you build controls that scale across that range?

What they are checking: Whether they think in reusable platforms, which the posting links to vertical integration and fast response to market changes.

A hardware team wants to change a component late in the program to save cost. How do you assess the impact on your controls?

What they are checking: Their ability to evaluate cross-discipline changes and communicate risk clearly before agreeing.

About the work

Walk me through the control architecture of an inverter or power converter you've worked on, from current loops up to system control.

What they are checking: Real depth in power electronics controls, which is the specific focus of this specialist role.

How do you tune current and voltage control loops for a power converter, and what tells you the tuning is robust?

What they are checking: Practical loop design skill and whether they test for stability margins across operating conditions.

What's your approach to writing embedded software for power electronics where timing is measured in microseconds?

What they are checking: Understanding of real-time constraints, interrupts and processor limits in power electronics firmware.

How do you design protection and fault handling for overcurrent, overvoltage and thermal events in a converter?

What they are checking: Whether they treat protection as central, since faults in power hardware can destroy equipment fast.

How do you use simulation and HIL testing to validate power electronics controls before running real hardware?

What they are checking: Their validation strategy and how they reduce risk before high-energy testing.

How do you keep embedded software quality high, through reviews, standards, testing or something else?

What they are checking: Commitment to the electronics quality the posting calls best in class, not just making the code work.

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The full job description

As published by Caterpillar.

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. About Advanced Power Technologies: Advanced Power Technologies (APT) defines and delivers Caterpillar’s next generation of power system technologies. The organization leads product strategy, long term technology roadmaps, and lifecycle leadership for advanced power, electrification, electronic controls, software, and energy solutions across the entire range of Power and Energy applications. APT integrates hardware, software, and digital services to deliver scalable, reliable, and future‑ready power solutions. Partnering closely with product groups, engineering, and global delivery teams, APT balances near‑term business execution with long‑term technology leadership—enabling best in class electronics quality, fast response to market changes, differentiated customer value through vertical integration, improved uptime, and sustainable power systems across Caterpillar’s Power and Energy product portfolio. Job Summary: As a Control Systems Engineering Specialist , you will provide technical leadership and program execution for L3 electrification subsystems, including motors, generators, and DC/DC converters. This role is responsible for leading subsystem control programs from planning through release, including managing release content, schedules, budgets, risks, and cross-functional alignment. In addition to program leadership, the successful candidate will contribute directly to controls and/or software development for electrification applications, ensuring robust technical solutions that meet quality, cost, and delivery expectations. What You Will Do: • Lead L3 electrification subsystem control programs for motors, generators, and DC/DC converters, ensuring alignment with product plans, technical requirements, and business priorities. • Manage release content, schedules, budgets, and delivery commitments for assigned electrification subsystem programs. • Coordinate cross-functional execution across controls, software, systems, components, product groups, validation, and program teams to deliver integrated subsystem solutions. • Develop, review, and support release of controls and/or software content for electrification applications. • Identify and manage program risks, technical issues, resource needs, and tradeoffs to maintain delivery commitments. • Provide technical guidance and decision support to ensure L3 subsystem controls and software solutions meet performance, quality, safety, and reliability expectations. • Develop controls or software for the programs that are being executed. What You Will Have: Communicating Complex Concepts: Knowledge of effective presentation tools and techniques to ensure clear understanding; ability to use summarization and simplification techniques to explain complex technical concepts in simple, clear language appropriate to the audience. Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations. Conceptual Thinking: Knowledge of thinking and reasoning at a conceptual level; ability to identify the critical ideas and interdependencies among system elements that impact performance. Embedded Systems: Knowledge of embedded systems and their applications; ability to develop embedded systems with varying levels of complexity to control the operations of the machine it is embedded within. Requirements Analysis: Knowledge of tools, methods, and techniques of requirement analysis; ability to elicit, analyze and record required business functionality and non-functionality requirements to ensure the success of a system or software development project. Education: Requires a degree in an accredited Engineering, Computer Science, or related field. Top Candidates Will Also Have: • Experience in embedded systems • Knowledge or experience in electric drive systems • Controls or software development experience • MatLab / Simulink experience • C programming language experience 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 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: September 25, 2026 - October 9, 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 .

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