UX / Discovery Lead - Productivity Solutions at Caterpillar Inc.

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX / Discovery Lead - Productivity Solutions Company: Caterpillar Inc. Location: Mossville, Illinois, United States Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: Digital & Technology Operations / User Experience Date Posted: 2025-08-26T00:00:00 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (Implied 5-10 years) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

Lead the User Experience (UX) strategy and execution for Caterpillar's VisionLink Productivity solutions, a critical component of the company's digital ecosystem for optimizing job site performance.
Drive the product discovery process, translating complex customer needs and market requirements into intuitive, scalable, and engaging user interfaces and workflows.
Champion user-centric design principles by leading user research initiatives, usability testing, and data analysis to inform design decisions and validate solution effectiveness.
Ensure consistency and excellence in user experience across the broader VisionLink ecosystem, fostering a cohesive and seamless user journey.
Mentor and guide a team of designers, promoting a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement in UX practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX / Discovery Lead," the responsibilities and focus on a digital product ecosystem strongly align with operations-critical roles that require deep understanding of user workflows, data interpretation, and process optimization within a B2B or industrial context. This role bridges product management, UX design, and a strategic understanding of operational efficiency.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Define and drive the end-to-end user experience (UX) strategy for VisionLink Productivity solutions, encompassing discovery, design, and delivery phases.
Collaborate closely with product owners, project managers, and market leads to translate intricate customer requirements and business objectives into user-friendly and accessible design solutions.
Lead and advocate for user research methodologies, including contextual inquiry, user interviews, and usability testing, to gather insights and validate design concepts.
Develop comprehensive UX design assets such as user personas, journey maps, wireframes, mock-ups, interactive prototypes, and detailed specifications.
Champion data-driven design by analyzing user behavior data, telematics, machine health, and performance metrics to identify areas for UX improvement and innovation.
Foster a collaborative environment within the design team and across cross-functional departments (e.g., engineering, product management, marketing) to ensure alignment and successful product integration.
Mentor junior designers, providing guidance on design best practices, tool utilization, and career development within UX and operations-focused product teams.
Drive consistency and adherence to design standards and best practices across the VisionLink ecosystem to ensure a unified and high-quality user experience.
Stay abreast of industry trends in UX design, digital platforms, data visualization, and industrial IoT to bring innovative solutions to Caterpillar's productivity offerings.
Contribute to the continuous improvement of design processes, tools, and team methodologies to enhance efficiency and design quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Productivity Solutions" and "job site performance" indicates a strong connection to operational efficiency and customer success in industrial settings. The responsibilities go beyond typical UI design, requiring a strategic understanding of how users interact with complex data to drive tangible business outcomes, which is a hallmark of advanced operations roles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Visual Communications, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, or a related field.

Experience:

Proven experience in leading UX design initiatives for complex software products, preferably in industrial, IoT, or data-intensive environments.
Demonstrated success in managing the full product discovery and design lifecycle, from initial research to final delivery.
Experience in mentoring and leading design teams, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.

Required Skills:

User Experience (UX) Design: Expertise in user-centered design principles, information architecture, interaction design, and visual design. Proficiency in creating wireframes, prototypes, user flows, and design specifications.
User Research & Usability Testing: Strong command of qualitative and quantitative user research methodologies, including user interviews, surveys, contextual inquiries, and usability testing. Ability to translate research findings into actionable design recommendations.
Creativity & Innovation: Proven ability to think creatively, challenge conventional methods, and identify novel approaches to problem-solving and user experience design.
Decision Making & Critical Thinking: Ability to critically evaluate options, forecast potential impacts, and make informed decisions based on data, user insights, and business objectives.
Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively present design concepts and research findings to diverse stakeholders, including executive leadership.
Mentoring & Leadership: Demonstrated ability to mentor designers, provide constructive feedback, and foster a positive team culture focused on continuous improvement.

Preferred Skills:

Data Visualization: Experience in designing effective data visualizations and dashboards to present complex data sets clearly and intuitively.
AI-driven Insights Integration: Familiarity with designing user interfaces that effectively present and leverage AI-driven insights for decision support.
Productivity Software Domain Knowledge: Understanding of concepts related to job site performance, fleet management, telematics, and industrial equipment operations.
Agile Development Methodologies: Experience working within Agile or Scrum frameworks, collaborating with development teams to deliver iterative product enhancements.
Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar: Proficiency in industry-standard UX design and prototyping tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Creativity" and "Decision Making/Critical Thinking" skills, as described, directly map to the strategic thinking and problem-solving required in operations leadership roles. The emphasis on "User Experience Design" for complex systems and data visualization is crucial for operations professionals who need to interpret and act upon performance data.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Process Improvement Case Studies: Showcase examples of how your UX design work has directly led to measurable improvements in user efficiency, task completion rates, or operational outcomes.
Data-Driven Design Examples: Present projects where user research, data analysis (telematics, usage data), and usability testing were integral to the design process and decision-making.
System Integration Design: Include examples of designing user experiences that integrate seamlessly with broader technology ecosystems or platforms, demonstrating an understanding of system interdependencies.
Scalable Design Solutions: Demonstrate the ability to design scalable and adaptable user experiences that can accommodate evolving product features and user needs within a growing digital platform.

Process Documentation:

Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide examples of mapping complex user workflows, identifying pain points, and redesigning them for enhanced efficiency and usability.
Implementation & Automation: Illustrate how your UX designs have facilitated the adoption of new features or automated processes for users, leading to reduced manual effort.
Measurement & Performance Analysis: Detail how you have defined and tracked UX metrics (e.g., task success rates, time on task, error rates) to measure the impact of design changes and inform future iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role like this, a portfolio is critical. It should not just display visual design but demonstrate a deep understanding of how UX impacts operational efficiency, user adoption of complex systems, and ultimately, customer productivity and business value. Operations candidates should highlight process mapping, data analysis, and quantifiable results.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

The estimated annual salary range for this position is $126,000 to $204,720 USD. This range is based on industry benchmarks for a UX/Discovery Lead role with significant experience and leadership responsibilities in a major industrial technology company. Factors such as specific experience, qualifications, and location within the specified region can influence the final offer.

Benefits:

Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
Retirement Savings: 401(k) savings plan with potential company match.
Financial Wellness: Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for healthcare and dependent care.
Work-Life Balance: Paid Time Off (PTO) plan, including vacation, holidays, and volunteer time.
Personal Development: Career development programs, tuition reimbursement, and health lifestyle programs.
Additional Support: Employee Assistance Program, life insurance, and disability benefits.
Incentives & Perks: Incentive bonus opportunities, voluntary benefits, and employee discounts.
Family Support: Parental leave and adoption benefits.

Working Hours:

Standard full-time working hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, Caterpillar typically offers a supportive work environment that values work-life balance. Flexibility may be available depending on team needs and project demands, but the core expectation is consistent presence for collaboration and team engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is a competitive benchmark for experienced UX leaders in a high-cost-of-living area like Illinois, considering Caterpillar's industry standing and the complexity of the role. The benefits package is extensive, reflecting a large, established corporation's commitment to employee well-being and professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Heavy Equipment Manufacturing & Technology Solutions. Caterpillar is a global leader in the construction and mining equipment industry, increasingly focused on integrating advanced digital technologies, IoT, and data analytics to enhance product performance and customer operations. Company Size: Caterpillar is a Fortune 100 company, employing over 100,000 individuals globally across a vast network of manufacturing, sales, and service facilities. This large scale implies robust processes, significant resources, and opportunities for impact within a structured environment. Founded: 1925. With a long history, Caterpillar has established a strong reputation for durability, reliability, and innovation, which shapes its culture towards long-term vision and sustainable growth.

Team Structure:

The role likely sits within a Digital & Technology division, specifically focused on product development for connected assets and customer solutions.
The UX/Discovery Lead will report to a Director or VP of Product Management or Digital Solutions, overseeing a team of UX designers, researchers, and potentially product analysts.
Collaboration will be extensive, involving product managers, software engineers, data scientists, market specialists, and customer support teams to ensure cohesive product development and delivery.

Methodology:

Data-Driven Decision-Making: Emphasis on leveraging telematics, usage data, customer feedback, and market research to inform product strategy and design.
Agile Product Development: Likely operates within an Agile framework, employing iterative development cycles, continuous integration, and cross-functional team collaboration.
User-Centric Design: A strong commitment to understanding and addressing customer needs through robust research and design validation processes.
Process Optimization: A core focus on enhancing operational efficiency for customers through intuitive digital tools and actionable insights derived from data.

Company Website: https://www.caterpillar.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Caterpillar's scale and legacy is key. The operations aspect of this role is about enabling customers to operate their heavy machinery more efficiently and profitably through digital tools. The culture likely values engineering rigor, reliability, and a pragmatic approach to innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a senior/lead level within the UX and Digital Product organization. It requires not only strong design execution skills but also strategic thinking, leadership, and the ability to influence product direction, which are critical for advancing in operations-focused career paths. Reporting Structure: The UX/Discovery Lead will likely report to a Director-level manager within the Digital & Technology or Product Management organization. They will manage a team of UX designers and researchers, working closely with Product Managers and Engineering leads. Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on customer operational efficiency and profitability by shaping the user experience of productivity solutions. By making complex data and machine insights accessible and actionable, the lead contributes significantly to Caterpillar's value proposition and competitive advantage in the digital solutions space.

Growth Opportunities:

Leadership Progression: Potential to move into larger UX teams, Product Management roles, or even broader Digital Strategy leadership positions within Caterpillar.
Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in Industrial IoT (IIoT), data visualization for heavy industry, or AI-driven product insights.
Cross-Functional Mobility: Experience gained can lead to opportunities in product strategy, program management, or even customer success roles that require a deep understanding of digital product adoption and impact.
Industry Exposure: Gain deep knowledge of the heavy equipment industry's operational challenges and how technology addresses them, a valuable niche for operations professionals.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth into management or senior individual contributor roles within the operations technology space. The combination of UX leadership and a focus on operational outcomes makes it a strong stepping stone for those looking to influence business strategy through digital product development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Mossville, Illinois, a significant engineering and technology hub for Caterpillar. The work environment will be a professional office setting, likely within a campus that houses R&D, engineering, and administrative functions. Office Location(s): Mossville, Illinois, USA. This is a primary location for Caterpillar's engineering and technology development. Workspace Context:

Collaborative Spaces: Expect a workspace designed for collaboration, with meeting rooms, project spaces, and open areas to facilitate teamwork and brainstorming.
Technology-Rich Environment: Access to modern design software, hardware, and potentially VR/AR tools for prototyping and user testing.
Cross-Functional Interaction: Opportunities to work closely with diverse teams, fostering an environment of shared learning and problem-solving. Work Schedule: The expectation is a standard 40-hour work week, Monday through Friday, with the requirement to be physically present in the Mossville office. While on-site, the environment supports focused work and team interaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: Being on-site at a major Caterpillar facility provides exposure to the core engineering and operational aspects of the business, which is invaluable for a UX leader focused on productivity solutions. It implies a culture that values in-person collaboration and hands-on understanding of the products and their users.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: HR or Talent Acquisition will review applications for basic qualifications and experience.
Hiring Manager Interview: Focus on leadership experience, team management, and strategic UX thinking. Expect questions about your approach to product discovery and user research.
Team/Peer Interviews: Sessions with product managers, engineers, and fellow UX designers to assess technical skills, collaboration style, and cultural fit.
Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: A critical stage where candidates present their best work, focusing on process, problem-solving, and quantifiable results from past projects. This will likely include a deep dive into how UX improved operational outcomes.
Final Interview: May involve senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment, long-term vision, and cultural contribution.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Focus on Impact: Prioritize case studies that clearly demonstrate how your UX designs led to tangible improvements in customer productivity, efficiency, or business outcomes. Use metrics whenever possible (e.g., reduced task time, increased feature adoption, improved data interpretation accuracy).
Showcase Process: Detail your approach to discovery, user research, ideation, prototyping, and testing. Explain why you made certain design decisions, linking them back to user needs and business goals.
Highlight Leadership: If applicable, showcase examples of mentoring junior designers, leading projects, or influencing product strategy.
Tailor to Caterpillar: Research Caterpillar's products and customer base. Frame your examples to show how your skills are relevant to industrial equipment users and their operational challenges.
Prepare for Data Visualization Discussion: Be ready to discuss your approach to designing effective dashboards and presenting complex data for industrial applications.

Challenge Preparation:

UX Design Challenge: You might be given a hypothetical problem related to industrial equipment data or workflow optimization and asked to outline your approach, design principles, and potential solutions.
Process Walkthrough: Be prepared to walk through a complex project from your portfolio, explaining your thought process and decision-making at each stage.
Stakeholder Communication: Practice articulating technical UX concepts and their business value to non-designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio presentation is paramount. Candidates must demonstrate not just design skill but a strategic understanding of how UX contributes to operational efficiency and business value in an industrial context. Operational thinking and data-driven justification are key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

UX Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, Axure RP (or similar industry-standard tools).
User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Hotjar, Qualtrics (or similar for surveys and session recording).
Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Miro, Mural.
Data Analysis & Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Looker, or specialized analytics platforms for understanding user behavior and product performance data.

Analytics & Reporting:

Experience with tools that track user interactions within web or mobile applications is crucial. This includes understanding analytics platforms to interpret user behavior, identify trends, and measure the impact of design changes.

CRM & Automation:

While not a direct CRM role, familiarity with how customer data is managed and how automation impacts user workflows within enterprise software is beneficial. Understanding the integration of telematics data into user-facing platforms is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern UX design and prototyping tools is expected. More importantly, experience with tools that facilitate user research, data analysis, and cross-functional collaboration is vital. The ability to interpret and leverage data for design decisions is a core operational skill for this role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and solving customer problems, particularly around operational efficiency and job site productivity.
Data-Driven: Valuing insights derived from data analytics, user research, and performance metrics to guide decisions and measure impact.
Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Encouraging novel approaches to problem-solving and a mindset of constantly refining processes and product offerings.
Collaboration & Teamwork: Fostering an environment where cross-functional teams work together effectively to achieve common goals.
Integrity & Reliability: Upholding high standards of quality and dependability in both product design and execution, reflecting Caterpillar's brand promise.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative environment where UX designers work closely with product managers, engineers, data scientists, and marketing teams.
Feedback-Driven: A culture that encourages open feedback and constructive critique to refine designs and improve processes.
Knowledge Sharing: Practices that promote sharing insights, best practices, and lessons learned across teams to foster collective growth and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values align with a professional operations environment that prioritizes customer success, data-informed strategies, and collaborative problem-solving. The emphasis on integrity and reliability is a hallmark of companies with long-standing industrial roots.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Translating Complex Data: Effectively designing interfaces that simplify complex telematics and machine performance data for diverse user roles.
Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Navigating the technical limitations and legacy systems inherent in large industrial products while delivering optimal user experiences.
Driving Adoption of New Technologies: Ensuring users understand and effectively utilize new digital features and AI-driven insights to improve their daily operations.
Cross-Platform Consistency: Maintaining a cohesive and intuitive user experience across a growing ecosystem of digital products and platforms.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Deep Dive into IIoT: Gain in-depth knowledge of Industrial Internet of Things applications and their impact on heavy industry operations.
Advanced Data Visualization: Master techniques for presenting complex operational data in clear, actionable formats.
Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone leadership skills through team management, project leadership, and strategic contributions.
Industry Exposure: Become an expert in the operational challenges and workflows of Caterpillar's diverse customer base.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges present significant opportunities for growth in specialized areas of UX and operational technology. Successfully navigating these will build a strong foundation for future leadership roles in product and operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

"How would you approach understanding the core operational workflows of a heavy equipment operator or site manager to inform your UX designs for productivity solutions?"
"Describe a time you had to translate highly technical or data-intensive information into an intuitive user experience. What was your process, and what was the outcome?"
"How do you balance user needs, business requirements, and technical feasibility when designing a new feature or product?"
"How do you measure the success of your UX designs in terms of user adoption, efficiency gains, or impact on business goals?"

Company & Culture Questions:

"What interests you about Caterpillar and our mission to help customers build a better world?"
"How would you foster a culture of user-centricity and continuous improvement within a product team?"
"Describe your experience mentoring designers. What is your philosophy on team development?"
"How do you stay current with UX trends, especially those relevant to industrial or enterprise software?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Start with the 'Why': Clearly articulate the business problem or user need your project addressed.
Walk Through Your Process: Detail your research, ideation, design, and testing phases. Explain the rationale behind key decisions.
Showcase the 'How': Present your design artifacts (wireframes, prototypes, user flows) and explain how they solve the problem.
Quantify the Impact: Crucially, present metrics demonstrating the positive outcomes of your design work (e.g., improved efficiency, reduced errors, increased user satisfaction).
Connect to Caterpillar: Draw parallels between your past successes and how they would apply to Caterpillar's VisionLink Productivity solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss your operational mindset and how you apply UX principles to solve real-world business problems, not just aesthetic design. Emphasize data-driven decision-making and quantifiable results.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX / Discovery Lead position:

Submit your resume and a compelling portfolio through the Caterpillar Careers portal.
Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies demonstrating your ability to improve operational efficiency, simplify complex data, and lead UX initiatives. Prioritize projects with quantifiable results.
Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight leadership experience, user research expertise, product discovery skills, and any experience with data visualization or industrial technology. Use keywords from the job description.
Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, leadership philosophy, and how you measure UX impact. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions related to collaboration, problem-solving, and mentoring.
Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Caterpillar's digital strategy, VisionLink platform, and the challenges faced by customers in the heavy equipment industry to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

UX / Discovery Lead - Productivity Solutions