Jobs › Caterpillar

QA Automation Engineer

Caterpillar · Mossville, IL · $97,530–$158,480 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 23, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Caterpillar

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

This team is international and works with Caterpillar and Trimble product teams. Tell me about working across time zones and companies.

What they are checking: Communication habits that keep testing moving when teammates are not online at the same time.

Tell me about a bug you found that others had missed. How did you find it?

What they are checking: Curiosity and investigative habits that make a tester valuable beyond running scripts.

What would you do

You find a defect a week before release, and the product team says it is too minor to fix. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can assess and communicate customer risk clearly instead of either caving or blocking blindly.

Your automated tests are flaky and the team has started ignoring failures. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they protect trust in the test suite by fixing root causes of flakiness.

How would you test a GNSS-based guidance feature when you cannot take a dozer to a job site every day?

What they are checking: Creativity with simulation, recorded data and test rigs for positioning products.

About the work

CTCT builds machine control products for earthmoving, paving and mining. How would you approach test automation for software that runs on a machine rather than in a browser?

What they are checking: Whether they understand embedded and hardware-in-the-loop testing, not only web UI automation.

Walk me through a test automation framework you designed or improved. What choices did you make and why?

What they are checking: Real framework design experience, including maintainability and reporting, not just writing scripts.

How do you decide what to automate and what to keep as manual verification and validation testing?

What they are checking: Judgment about where automation saves effort and where human checking still finds the important problems.

How do you write a good test case from a requirement that is vague?

What they are checking: Skill at turning unclear requirements into testable conditions and asking the right questions.

What programming languages have you used for test development, and how do you keep test code clean?

What they are checking: Whether they treat test code with the same care as product code, as the posting's software duties suggest.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Caterpillar from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Caterpillar.

Career Area: Technology, Digital and Data 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. Job Summary Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies (CTCT) is a joint venture between Caterpillar and Trimble whose purpose is to transform the way heavy equipment customers shape the world with solutions that differentiate Caterpillar and Trimble. The Software Test Engineer will be part of an international team providing internal verification and validation (V&V) for CTCT products. This position networks closely with CTCT internal product/project teams, as well as Caterpillar and Trimble product teams, to provide high-quality products to the earthmoving, paving, and mining industries. This hands-on role will leverage the experiences and training gained from previous verification and validation positions. What You Will Do: • Designing, modifying, developing, writing and implementing software programming applications for target system using agile methods. • Acquiring client requirements; resolving workflow problems through automation optimization. • Writing source codes for new applications, and/or generating and enhancing code samples for existing applications. • Utilizing automated testing tools to perform the testing and maintenance. What you will have: • Effective Communications: 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. • 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 Product Technical Knowledge: Knowledge of technical aspects of a software products; ability to design, configure and integrate technical aspects of software products. • Software Product Testing: Knowledge of software product testing; ability to design, plan, and execute testing strategies and tactics to ensure software product quality and adherence to stated requirements. • System Testing: Knowledge of system and software testing; ability to design, plan and execute system testing strategies and tactics to ensure the quality of software at all stages of the system life cycle. Consideration for top candidates: • Experience creating test automation • A strong understanding of the software development process and an eagerness to learn new technologies • Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and an analytical approach • Knowledge of Civil Engineering or the Civil Construction industry (preferred). • A relevant qualification or equivalent experience in a technical field (Software Testing, Engineering, Computer Science, etc.) Additional Details: • This position requires the candidate to work full-time at the Mossville, IL or Peoria, IL office. • Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position. • Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position. • This position will require up to 10% travel Summary Pay Range: $97,530.00 - $158,480.00 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: 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 .

Apply at Caterpillar