Manager, Battery Systems Validation & Performance

The Manager, Battery Systems Validation & Performance leads Caterpillar’s Battery Performance and Validation organization within the Battery Systems team. This role is responsible for ensuring battery systems meet customer expectations for performance, quality, durability, safety, and regulatory compliance through effective verification, validation, performance assessment, and continuous improvement processes.

The manager partners closely with cross-functional engineering, product, compliance, and supplier teams to drive battery system validation strategy and execution across Caterpillar’s battery portfolio. In addition, this position leads a team of validation, test, and performance engineers, ensuring requirements are verified, validated, documented, and continuously improved throughout the product lifecycle in alignment with Systems Engineering best practices.

What You Will Do:

Battery Performance, Verification & Validation Leadership

• Own battery system performance, verification, and validation strategy across Caterpillar battery products.
• Develop and govern validation plans, test strategies, acceptance criteria, and verification processes to ensure traceability from requirements through final acceptance.
• Ensure battery systems meet performance, reliability, durability, safety, compliance, and customer requirements.
• Lead battery performance analysis, competitive benchmarking, and data-driven decisions related to battery architecture, thermal management, charging performance, serviceability, and lifecycle expectations.
• Govern validation execution across internal and external testing facilities, suppliers, and contract manufacturing partners, supporting NTI and NPI programs from concept through production.

Test Infrastructure, Compliance & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the development of validation processes, standards, best practices, and testing infrastructure to improve efficiency, automation, data management, and reporting while reducing test cycle times.
• Serve as the primary interface with internal regulatory organizations, ensuring validation activities support product approvals and certifications (UL, IEC, UN38.3, DNV, Lloyd’s Register, ABS, RINA, CE, and customer-specific requirements).
• Drive root cause analysis, lessons learned, and continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen product quality and validation effectiveness.

Cross-Functional & Technical Leadership

• Partner with Battery Systems Tech Leads, Product Groups, and cross-functional engineering teams to ensure validation findings drive design improvements, technology roadmaps, and future battery architectures.
• Lead and develop a high-performing battery performance and validation organization, coaching engineers in systems engineering, validation methodologies, technical problem-solving, compliance testing, data analytics, and system-level verification.
• Foster a culture of technical rigor, urgency, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

We are looking for top talent to build and scale the next generation of technologies, products and services to help our customers build a better-more sustainable-world. We need self-motivated, intelligent and team-oriented individuals to make our plans a reality. Individuals with high emotional intelligence, humility and openness to discovery will thrive in the teams we are building., * A bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related Technical discipline

• Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Extensive experience and knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
• Effective Communications: Extensive experience and 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.
• Technical Excellence: Extensive experience and knowledge of a given technology and various application methods; ability to develop and provide solutions to significant technical challenges.
• Managing People: Extensive experience and knowledge of processes involved in managing people; ability to lead successful teams, and diligently address issues related to performance and conflicts at the workplace.

What Will Set You Apart:

• Previous leadership experience in battery test, validation, performance, or compliance organizations.
• Experience with marine, rail, mining, construction, or industrial electrification products.
• Experience working with external battery suppliers and third-party test laboratories.
• Knowledge of systems engineering and V-model development practices.
• Experience supporting DNV, UL, IEC, CE, and UN38.3 certifications.
• Track record of developing validation standards, infrastructure, and organizational capability.
• Experience integrating simulation, testing, and field learning into product development decisions.

• This position is located in Mossville, IL and requires 5 day a week on-site availability
• This role does offer domestic relocation
• This role does not offer visa sponsorship
• Up to 20% travel is expected for this role

Summary Pay Range:

$147,760.00 - $221,640.00

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., 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.

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 IDES:

Caterpillar’s Integrated Drivetrain Energy Solutions Division (IDES) will focus on delivering advanced electrified power train, zero-emissions products/technologies, and the solutions and services associated with these technologies. Focus areas include batteries, fuel cells, motors, inverters, micro grid controllers, charging, energy storage systems, lifecycle solutions/services and integration of components for ePowertrain solutions across industries., There’s more to work at Caterpillar than just the work itself. We hire smart, friendly people and it shows in our culture. We hold ourselves to high standards and make sure our values of integrity, excellence, teamwork, commitment and sustainability come to life in the way we work. We make sure our employees feel continuously challenged while also supported. We provide professional growth opportunities, including leadership programs. We celebrate the diversity of our team, while also working together as one Caterpillar.

Our culture, like everything at our company, is made possible by each employee’s contribution. Person by person, we create the environment we work in, and we are proud of the Caterpillar we’ve built.