Cat is looking for a Lead Software Engineer – Ecommerce Search to set the technical direction and oversee the execution of advanced search solutions for Cat Digital. You will combine strategic vision, hands-on technical expertise, and leadership to build scalable, high-performance search platforms that deliver exceptional user experiences.
What You'll Do
- Define and implement a long-term technical vision for the search platform to ensure scalability and adaptability.
- Mentor and guide a team of search engineers through technical reviews, best practices, and collaborative problem-solving.
- Introduce advanced capabilities such as NLP, vector search, and personalization to enhance relevance and accuracy.
- Build search capabilities with measurable KPIs (e.g., CTR, Query Distribution, Zero Search) and leverage analytics to continuously improve search performance.
- Partner with product managers, data scientists, and engineering teams to align search initiatives with business objectives.
What We're Looking For
- Progressively complex professional experience.
- Experience as a lead software engineer, Architect, or engineering manager.
- Experience leading technical teams and managing multiple projects simultaneously.
- Experience working within ITSM processes (incident, change, problem).
- Strong communication, organization, and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to handle sensitive, complex, or high-visibility issues.
- Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
- Experience in eCommerce Search deployments.
- Previous experience with Search products such as OpenSearch, Elastic Search, SOLR, Lucene, Coveo, and LucidWorks Fusion.
- Strong expertise in building head-less frameworks to integrate with ecommerce applications.
- Proven experience building large-scale, highly available distributed systems.
- Proficiency in Java, Python, or Scala, including source control tools and practices.
- Proficiency in software debugging and problem-solving techniques.
- Proficiency in AI code generation tools such as Claude Code, ChatGPT, or GitHub Copilot.
- Familiarity with DevOps tools and techniques for cloud deployment.
- Experience producing and consuming APIs.
- Familiarity with event streaming and cloud platforms.
- Practical experience applying ML to improve search relevance.
Nice to Have
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science or related field.
- Experience in search engineering.
- Experience in a technical leadership role.
- Strong understanding of modern search technologies and frameworks.
- Working experience with heavy equipment engineering or data analysis.
- Working experience with building Low-latency API in AWS using Memory-storage solutions.
- Familiarity with A/B testing frameworks for evaluating and improving.
- Strong knowledge with cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.).
- Advanced experience with version control / repositories such as GitHub.
- Experience operating in an Agile / Global team environment.
- Must demonstrate strong initiative, interpersonal skills, and the ability to communicate effectively.
Technical Stack
- Languages: Java, Python, Scala
- Search Platforms: OpenSearch, Elastic Search, SOLR, Lucene, Coveo, LucidWorks Fusion
- Cloud & Tools: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, GitHub, Claude Code, ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot
Benefits & Compensation
- Salary: $128,470.00 - $208,770.00
- 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
Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities.
