Lead Software Engineer - Search

Caterpillar Caterpillar · Industrial · Chicago, IL +2

Lead Software Engineer for eCommerce Search at Caterpillar, responsible for technical direction and execution of advanced search solutions. This role involves defining technical strategy, mentoring engineers, introducing advanced capabilities like NLP and vector search, optimizing search performance with KPIs, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. The role requires experience with search products (OpenSearch, ElasticSearch, etc.), distributed systems, programming (Java, Python, Scala), AI code generation tools, and applying ML to improve search relevance.

What you'd actually do

  1. Define and implement a long-term technical vision for the search platform to ensure scalability and adaptability to growing data volumes and query complexity.
  2. Mentor and guide a team of search engineers through technical reviews, best practices, and collaborative problem-solving.
  3. Introduce advanced capabilities such as NLP, vector search, and personalization to enhance relevance and accuracy.
  4. Build search capabilities with measurable KPIs (e.g., CTR, Query Distribution, Zero Search) and leverage analytics to continuously improve search performance.
  5. Partner with product managers, data scientists, and engineering teams to align search initiatives with business objectives

Skills

Required

  • Experience in eCommerce Search deployments
  • 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 systems
  • Proficiency in Java, Python, or Scala
  • Proficiency in 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
  • 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
  • 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

What the JD emphasized

  • Progressively complex professional experience
  • Experience as a lead software engineer, Architect , engineering manager
  • Experience leading technical teams and managing multiple projects simultaneously
  • 7+ years of experience in search engineering
  • 3+ years in a technical leadership role
  • Must demonstrate strong initiative, interpersonal skills, and the ability to communicate effectively.

Other signals

  • applying ML to improve search relevance
  • NLP, vector search, and personalization to enhance relevance and accuracy
  • AI code generation tools