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Engineering Project Team Leader

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

Posted Sep 28, 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 time a software dependency put a product launch at risk. What did you do?

What they are checking: Whether they surface risk early and drive resolution rather than reporting it late.

Tell me about a time you had to deliver bad schedule news to senior leaders.

What they are checking: Whether they communicate honestly with options instead of hiding problems.

How do you keep a program team motivated through a long platform development effort?

What they are checking: Whether they understand team morale as part of delivery over many months.

What would you do

You'd link software teams and electronic system integration teams for a next-generation embedded platform. How do you keep releases aligned with different product launch schedules?

What they are checking: Whether they can manage many dependencies across teams and launches without losing track.

Two product teams both need the same software feature first, but there's capacity for only one. How do you decide?

What they are checking: Whether they make tradeoffs based on business impact and get the right leaders involved.

How do you get engineers to commit to estimates they believe in?

What they are checking: Whether they build realistic plans with the team rather than imposing dates.

Integration testing finds a defect a week before a planned release. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can weigh release risk with quality and coordinate a sensible decision.

About the work

How do you track dependencies between software features and hardware integration milestones?

What they are checking: Whether they use practical planning tools and habits to keep complex programs visible.

What do you understand about embedded software development that makes it different to plan than web software?

What they are checking: Whether they know about hardware availability, testing on target and safety constraints.

How do you run a status meeting that actually resolves issues rather than just reporting?

What they are checking: Whether they drive decisions and owners rather than hosting update sessions.

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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. Manages multiple or complex engineering projects involving multiple functions, organizations, products, or value chains. The Engineering Project Team Lead will be responsible for leading the planning, coordination, and execution of application software development activities for a next-generation embedded computing platform. What You Will Do: This role serves as the primary link between software development teams and electronic system integration teams, ensuring software features, capabilities, and releases are delivered in alignment with individual product launch schedules. The successful candidate will work closely with engineering leaders, systems teams, product managers, and program managers to manage delivery timelines, identify dependencies and risks, drive issue resolution, and ensure successful integration of software capabilities into new products. The position requires a combination of technical understanding, program leadership, and strong cross-functional collaboration skills. What You Will Have: Products and Services: Knowledge of major products and services and product and service groups; ability to apply knowledge of product and service appropriately to diverse situations. Level Extensive Experience: • Oversees development activities for multiple products or product lines. • Advises colleagues on implementation and operational considerations. • Coaches others on key factors that differentiate offerings from that of competition. • Develops procedures for product planning, development, and delivery cycles. • Promotes understanding of multiple product and service groups and their interdependencies. • Monitors regulatory and environmental issues and considerations. Technical Excellence: Knowledge of a given technology and various application methods; ability to develop and provide solutions to significant technical challenges. Level Extensive Experience: • Advises others on the assessment and provision of all technical solutions. • Engages appropriate subject matter resources to effectively resolve technical issues. • Mentors others to enhance their technical competence and its application to achieve more effective technical solutions. • Coaches others in promoting, defining, analyzing, and providing superior technical solutions to business problems. • Provides effective solutions to moderate technical challenges through strong technical competence, effectively examining implications of events and issues. • Assumes accountability for personal technical performance and holds others responsible for theirs. Influencing Through Expertise: Knowledge of effective influencing tactics and strategies; ability to use these to deepen own expertise and impact or challenge decisions within and outside own organization. Level Extensive Experience: • Communicates complex ideas and concepts in a clear and concise manner so that others can understand. • Exhibits depth and breadth of knowledge, skill, and experience in the relevant field. • Provides relevant, timely and objective subject matter/process expertise and key insight regarding multiple client business areas and affiliated fields. • Provides others with information, opportunities, or resources to develop their skills in the area of expertise. • Discards examples of persuasive arguments lacking evidentiary support or impact. • Coaches others to enhance their proficiency regarding the tenets, practices, and examples of the 'trusted advisor' credential. Project Management: Knowledge of effective project management strategies and tactics; ability to plan, organize, monitor, and control projects, ensuring efficient utilization of technical and administrative resources to achieve project objectives. Level Expert: • Champions organization's project management methodology, tools, and techniques. • Manages multiple high-risk, high-cost projects involving multiple stakeholders. • Coaches others in open communication among project stakeholders. • Monitors major projects for critical path and actual status versus planned. • Consults on project planning and management of high-risk, high-impact projects. • Monitors industry for fresh approaches and tools for project management. Team Management: Knowledge of effective team building techniques; ability to form and manage effective teams. Level Extensive Experience: • Brings projects to closure and ensures capture of what can be learned from the experience. • Leads the definition of team mission and objectives for a variety of teams. • Employs appropriate techniques for maintaining team enthusiasm, energy, and focus. • Ensures that team members are on board, unified, and moving in the same direction. • Communicates both within the team and to stakeholders. • Learns and utilizes special talents and work styles of team members. 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. Level Extensive Experience: • Plays an active or leading role in recording and storing requirement documents in various forms. • Ensures the successful completion of all major activities, tasks and deliverables pertaining to the requirement analysis stage. • Supervises the advanced use of requirements analysis tools and services, including prototyping and use cases. • Produces detailed functional and information requirements models and documentation. • Trains others on requirements walkthroughs and quality reviews. • Utilizes automated diagramming tools to ensure traceability of requirements. Troubleshooting Technical Problems: Knowledge of troubleshooting approaches, tools and techniques; ability to anticipate, detect and resolve technical problems in a manufacturing or product management environment. Level Extensive Experience: • Evaluates business impact of failure and the criticality and timing of needed resolution. • Resolves difficult or high-impact equipment and systems problems. • Monitors machine performance and history; addresses excessive maintenance or repair needs. • Coaches others how to resolve integration or communications problems in multi-vendor environment. • Applies specific techniques for isolating a problem and defining resolution approach. • Uses advanced diagnostic techniques and tools for unusual or performance-related problems. Product Design and Development: Knowledge of product features; ability to design, build, and develop a new product, technology, or service from concept through to production. Level Extensive Experience: • Develops organizational standards and processes in order to maximize complex product services' efficiency and effectiveness. • Creates and introduces new techniques that expedite or simplify the development process. • Supervises the management of multiple and diverse types of products or services. • Develops proof-of-concept exercises to prove or disprove validity of proposed products. • Advises on the appropriate solutions to complex product design and development problems. • Designs working prototypes of a variety of proposed products or services. Top Candidates Will Have: • Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical field. • Solid experience in software engineering, systems engineering, product development, program management, or related disciplines. • Previous leadership experience managing software programs, technical teams, product launches, or new product introduction activities. • Experience working within embedded software, connected products, industrial automation, automotive, heavy equipment, robotics, or other technology-driven industries. • Strong technical acumen with exceptional program leadership skills. • Deep understanding of complex software development environments, building effective relationships across organizations, and driving execution through influence rather than direct authority. • Excellence at connecting technical delivery plans to product launch objectives and ensuring diverse teams remain aligned on priorities, schedules, and business outcomes. Additional Information: • Location is onsite in Mossville, IL five days per week • Relocation assistance may be available in accordance with Caterpillar policies. • Sponsorship is not available for this position. • Travel is 10% #LI 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 28, 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? 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