QA Lead - Simulation Platform

Career Area:

Technology, Digital and Data

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.

At Caterpillar, technology always has a purpose, which is to solve our customers’ toughest challenges. Construction autonomy is one of the most complex challenges in applied AI, and at Caterpillar, advancements in physical AI, simulation, sensing, and edge computing are turning things that once felt impossible—intelligent machines operating in dynamic jobsites—into reality.

• Lead QA strategy, planning, and execution for the simulation and rendering platform across frontend, backend, data, APIs, rendering, and integration layers.
• Define quality standards, test processes, release gates, defect triage methods, acceptance criteria, and measurable quality signals for the engineering team.
• Build and mentor a high-performing QA function, including hiring support, technical interviewing, onboarding, and coaching QA engineers and SDETs.
• Own automated test architecture for UI, API, integration, regression, data validation, simulation scenarios, rendering validation, and performance/reliability testing.
• Partner with software engineering, robotics, product, and architecture stakeholders to translate business and technical requirements into testable acceptance criteria and validation plans.
• Champion CI/CD quality practices, including test selection, pipeline health, flaky-test reduction, code review expectations for testability, and release readiness reporting.
• Lead exploratory testing, risk reviews, failure-mode analysis, and defect-prevention practices for simulation workflows and robotic use cases.
• Collaborate tightly with robotics and platform teams to reduce gaps between customer needs, technical implementation, simulation behavior, and delivered quality.
• Facilitate QA brainstorming, test design reviews, post-release learning, and continuous improvement sessions.
• Bring a practical, flexible mindset: if there is a better way to improve quality, propose it and help make it real.

• Experience leading QA or SDET efforts for complex web, platform, simulation, rendering, robotics, mapping, or data-intensive software products.
• Proven ability to define QA/QC processes, engineering quality standards, release criteria, and team operating practices.
• Hands-on experience with test automation for modern web applications, APIs, backend services, databases, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Working knowledge of frontend and backend quality concerns, including JavaScript/Type Script applications, service APIs, data contracts, and cross-browser/device behavior.
• Experience validating 3D, graphics, geospatial, or simulation-related workflows, including visual correctness, scenario behavior, spatial data, or rendering output.
• Experience with automation and quality tooling such as Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, Jest, pytest, Postman/Newman, REST/GraphQL testing, ESLint, Webpack, or similar tools.
• Experience with cloud-based environments such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Firebase, or similar deployment platforms.
• Ability to use AI-assisted development and testing tools responsibly to accelerate test creation, troubleshooting, analysis, and documentation.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate ambiguity into clear quality risks, plans, and decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new technologies independently and help teams adopt better practices.

• 7+ years of experience in software quality, test automation, SDET, or related engineering roles for complex software platforms.
• 3+ years leading QA strategy, QA engineers, SDETs, or cross-functional quality initiatives.
• 5+ years…