Global Product Validation Engineer

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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.

Your Work Shapes the World

Whether it be groundbreaking products, best in class solutions or creating a lifelong career, you can do the work that matters at Caterpillar. With a 95-year legacy of quality and innovation and 150 locations in countries around the world, your impact spans the globe.

When you join Caterpillar, you are joining a team of makers, innovators, and doers. We are the people who roll up our sleeves and do the work to build a better world. We don’t just talk about progress and innovation. We make it happen. And we are proud of that, because it helps our customers build and power the world we live in – the roads, hospitals, homes, and infrastructure.  Without a dedicated workforce Caterpillar could not effectively meet our customer’s needs.  Join us.

Description

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 Global Product Validation Engineer (GPVE) will be part of the Hardware Solutions (HWS) Team. The HWS teams deliver robust, high quality hardware solutions optimized for performance, cost, and availability to enable the success of Cat and Trimble in the grade control market. HWS products include the Component, Bracket(s), Option Keys, Fasteners, Cables, Cases, Packaging, and Labeling.

This role will be providing planning, executing, and directing of verification and validation (V&V) activities across the organization. Our purpose is to ensure that CTCT grade control platform products meet quality expectations by promoting validation earlier in the product development cycle. We do this by leveraging our people’s application & validation knowledge, world-class evaluation methods, innovation, and best practices. The results of this individual’s work will be technical and program risks identified/quantified, Product Validation test plans are thorough, documented, and executed efficiently. The successful incumbent would be dedicated to a specific product team/s and report up through the validation organization. This individual would leverage the end-to-end Product Validation methodology.

Job Duties

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Fully understand the functionality and application of platform products, and utilize that knowledge to ensure effective verification and validation (V&V) methods. 

• Maintains their expertise to enable them to do the above duties, through training and hands-on V&V tasks (Environmental testing, performance testing etc).
• Facilitate the determination of product sample sizes across venues to inform development builds for testing and evaluation.
• Design Margin - making sure this is considered in our testing.
• Accountable for the product V&V strategy and test plans created collaboratively, with product teams. Activities should consider simulation and lab based techniques. 
• Ensure that test activities are completed and that the established acceptance criteria was achieved.
• Educate product teams on validation expectations, venues and key processes.
• Drive usage of tools such as the Risk Based Thinking Process, Test Reports or Design Verification Plan & Report’s (DVP&R) to evaluate the effectiveness of the validation activity plan on critical failure modes, and direct activities to mitigate risk.  This test documentation is fundamental for building customer confidence in platform products.
• Develop tools and processes for effectively delivering test documentation at needed levels of detail and IP sensitivity, and champion their use across grade control platform (GCP) products.
• The GPVE participates in the product risk assessment process. This activity is key to improving the likelihood of ‘Testing with a Purpose’ validation.
• As validation needs become known for which there is no robust method, the GPVE must communicate the need and lead the effort to develop a new procedure. Working with the technical lead and V&V GCP Manager.
• Provide input on planning and execution plans to project managers. Works with different areas on scheduling. 
• Follow products through the full lifecycle including maintaining and updating test documentation all the way to product deprecation. This includes having knowledge and gaining experience across all validation venues. 
• Effective training, relationship building, & engagement of other Validation Engineers. Introduction of, and collaboration with, internal validation groups is critical.

Skill Descriptors
Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Evaluates and makes contributions to best practices.
• Processes large quantities of detailed information with high levels of accuracy.
• Productively balances speed and accuracy.
• Implements a variety of cross-checking approaches and mechanisms.
• Demonstrates expertise in quality assurance tools, techniques, and standards.
• Employs techniques for motivating employees to meet or exceed accuracy goals.
Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Seeks discrepancies and inconsistencies in available information; explains variances.
• Organizes and prioritizes the sequence of steps to be taken to remedy the situation.
• Identifies many possible causes for a problem based on prior experience and current research.
• Quantifies the costs, benefits, risks and chances for success before recommending a course of action.
• Approaches a complex problem by breaking it down into its component parts.
• Chooses among a diverse set of analytical tools according to the nature of the situation.
Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Differentiates assumptions, perspectives, and historical frameworks.
• Evaluates past decisions for insights to improve decision-making process.
• Assesses and validates decision options and points and predicts their potential impact.
• Advises others in analyzing and synthesizing relevant data and assessing alternatives.
• Uses effective decision-making approaches such as consultative, command, or consensus.
• Ensures that assumptions and received wisdom are objectively analyzed in decisions.

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.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Reviews others' writing or presentations and provides feedback and coaching.
• Adapts documents and presentations for the intended audience.
• Demonstrates both empathy and assertiveness when communicating a need or defending a position.
• Communicates well downward, upward, and outward.
• Employs appropriate methods of persuasion when soliciting agreement.
• Maintains focus on the topic at hand.
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.
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 Extensive Experience:
• Utilizes preferred tools, techniques and methods for estimating project cost and time.
• Plans, estimates, staffs, organizes and monitors significant projects.
• Identifies risks and vulnerabilities; creates contingency plans.
• Conducts regular and ad-hoc project reviews with project team, sponsors, and clients.
• Maintains open communication among project participants and interested parties.
• Communicates reporting requirements; creates monitoring and control mechanisms.
Product Testing: Knowledge of product testing approaches, techniques and tools; ability to design, plan and execute testing strategies and tactics to ensure product quality at all stages of manufacturing.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Coordinates execution of test plans, including resources, strategy, schedules, processes and tools.
• Collaborates with design team to ensure testing considerations are incorporated into system design.
• Recommends tools and techniques for automating, simplifying and enhancing product testing.
• Compares and contrasts alternative testing methodologies and tools.
• Matches testing methodology and tools to product being tested; develops test scenarios and scripts.
• Estimates time, effort and resources required for thorough testing.
Troubleshooting Technical Problems: Knowledge of troubleshooting approaches, tools and techniques; ability to anticipate, detect and resolve technical problems in a manufacturing 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.

Basic Qualifications

Engineering degree or similar equivalent experience (4 years)

4+ years’ experience, and an extensive understanding of complex engineering concepts and applications.

Top Candidates will also have

Requires a self-starter with strong technical leadership skills and excellent analytical skills.

Ability to manage multiple projects.

Highly developed skills in program management, communication, and customer relations are essential.

3-5 years first-hand experience with the product design and development process, including New Product Introduction and Continuous Product Improvement is required.

Previous validation experience is preferred. 

Experience working with a global team including global travel. 

Collocated with Machine Integration Team

Additional Information

The location for this position is Peoria, IL; Mossville, IL; Dayton, OH; Chennai, India; and Christ Church, New Zealand.

Relocation assistance is not available for this position. Any relocation costs incurred would be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

This position may require less than 10% travel

Employee benefit details

Our goal at Caterpillar is for you to have a rewarding career. Our teams are critical to the success of our customers who build a better world.

Here you earn more than just a salary because we value your performance.  We offer a total rewards package that provides benefits on day one (medical, dental, vision, RX, and 401K) along with the potential of an annual bonus.

Additional benefits include paid vacation days and paid holidays (prorated based upon hire date).

Final details

Please frequently check the email associated with your application, including the junk/spam folder, as this is the primary correspondence method. If you wish to know the status of your application – please use the candidate log-in on our career website as it will reflect any updates to your status.

This employer is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as H, L, TN, F, J, E, O. As a global company, Caterpillar offers many job opportunities outside of the U.S. which can be found through our employment website at www.Caterpillar.com/Careers .

For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media

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Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.   

EEO/AA Employer.  All qualified individuals - Including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities - are encouraged to apply.

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