Engineering Manager

Caterpillar’s BCP division is hiring for Engineering Manager position in Sanford, NC!

Role Summary: The Engineering Manager – Product Development Operations leads a team of over 40 agency, hourly, support, and management employees at the Sanford Machine Development Center (SMDC) responsible for safe, efficient, and consistent execution of product development technical operations activities across the product development lifecycle, from concept through production.

The logistics, prove design, and endurance & test operator teams support planning and execution of prototype concepting, fabrication, assembly, logistics, and machine operation during product development tuning, testing, validation, and endurance.

This position provides day-to-day operational and technical leadership and direction for SMDC, focusing on execution, coordination, and continuous improvement of product development operations. The role ensures alignment with broader organizational priorities while maintaining responsiveness and flexibility required in a product development environment. Additionally, this role provides input into SMDC facility operations, including coordination of repairs, maintenance, site, and capability improvements.

The Engineering Manager – Product Development Operations reports to the Product Development & Facility Operations Manager and supports execution of site-level operations aligned with broader CMDC & SMDC strategy. They collaborate closely with Product Engineering Design, Validation, & Testing; Manufacturing; Quality; Supply Chain; and EHS teams to deliver business, safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives. The role requires consistent, onsite leadership presence to support daily operations, provide effective communication, and build a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

What You’ll Do (Job Duties)

• Lead and develop the SMDC operations team of 40+, including hourly, support, managers, and agency; building a high-performing, technically competent, and engaged organization through clear communication expectations, coaching, and performance management.

• Oversee day-to-day execution, ensuring safe and efficient machine builds & support activities, fabrication, logistics, endurance, testing support, and facility activities, including coordination of scheduling, procurement, and resource allocation.

• Improve operational performance across safety, quality, delivery, and cost, leading problem-solving and resolution of operational, product, and facility-related issues while advancing continuous improvement.

• Implement and sustain standard processes, tools, and best practices, aligning with broader organizational standards and leading projects to improve consistency, efficiency, and scalability of operations, while meeting safety and compliance requirements.

• Establish and leverage performance metrics (KPIs) to monitor results, enable data-driven decisions, and proactively identify and mitigate constraints and risks to achieving priorities.

• Build strong cross-functional partnerships with engineering, testing, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, commercial, and EHS teams, ensuring operational activities support stakeholder needs.

• Support resource capability and capacity planning to align people, tools, and facility resources with near-term priorities, as well as positioning for future growth.

What You Have (Core Skills)

• Planning: Tactical, Strategic: Knowledge of effective planning techniques and ability to contribute to operational (short term), tactical (1-2 years) and strategic (3-5 years) planning in support of the overall business plan.

• 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.

• Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.

• Technical Excellence: Knowledge of a given technology and various application methods; ability to develop and provide solutions to significant technical challenges.

• Customer/Market Focus: Understanding of the importance of remaining aware of shifting market priorities and ability to respond to internal and external customer needs in a manner that consistently adds value.

• Managing People: Knowledge of processes involved in managing people; ability to lead successful teams, and diligently address issues related to performance and conflicts at the workplace.
  

Top Candidates Will Also Have

• Team lead or management experience in product development, testing, or operations.

• Strong judgment, planning, and execution skills, including risk-based decision making and resource prioritization.

• Ability to align priorities, influence stakeholders, and collaborate across teams.

• Understanding product development, testing, shop, logistics, validation, and machine operations.

• Experience driving process improvement, operational excellence, and business cases for equipment, facilities, or infrastructure investments.

• Ability to balance stakeholder demands while maintaining team focus, engagement, and trust.

Additional Details

• Work location: Sanford Machine Development Center (SMDC)

• Domestic relocation assistance IS available for this role

• Visa sponsorship is NOT available for this role.

• Travel: Less than 10% domestic and international

• This position requires 5 days per week in the office (M-F)