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Digital Simulation Manager
Caterpillar
Decatur, IL, USA
Posted on Mar 18, 2026
Career Area:
Technology, Digital and DataJob Description:
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.
Role Summary:
The Digital Twin Product Owner for Modern Manufacturing leads the strategy, roadmap, and delivery of digital twin capabilities that enable the next generation of manufacturing operations.
This role is responsible for defining and managing the digital twin product portfolio enabling virtual modelling, simulation, and optimization of manufacturing systems across global production environments.
The product owner ensures the digital twin capabilities deliver measurable improvements in throughput, quality, uptime, and operational agility by enabling engineering and plant teams to simulate, test and optimize production processes before changes and implemented I the physical environment.
This role operates at the intersection of manufacturing operations, industrial engineering, data platforms, and enterprise technology translating business objectives into scalable digital capabilities that accelerate modern manufacturing transformation.
What You Will Do:
Product Strategy & Roadmap
- Define and own the digital twin product vision and roadmap aligned to the modern manufacturing strategy.
- Identify high value use cases including factory simulation, line balancing, virtual commissioning, etc.
- Prioritize investments based on business value, operational impact and scalability.
Product Ownership & Delivery
- Serve as the accountable owner for digital twin capabilities across manufacturing operations
- Manage the product backlog, release planning, and feature prioritization.
- Ensure alignment across engineering, manufacturing, data platform and IT teams.
Use Case Development: Partner with plants to define and prioritize digital twin use cases, lead pilots and scale across global facilities, and replicate best practices for digital twin adoption within plant operations.
Manufacturing Optimization: Enable plant teams to simulate production flow, machine interactions, process bottlenecks and quality variation to provide operational improvements including cycle time reduction, capacity optimization, and predictive maintenance strategies.
Platform Integration: Establish data synchronization between physical assets and virtual models while partnering with IT to seamlessly integrate across key enterprise systems (ERP, MES, etc.)
Governance: Establish model fidelity standards, simulation validation methods, and data governance practices.
What skills you will have:
Software Product Management:
- Leads complex digital product development initiatives within manufacturing environments, guiding products from concept through delivery while balancing technical feasibility, operational constraints, and stakeholder priorities.
- Demonstrates consistent success delivering complex technology products in active manufacturing settings, ensuring alignment across engineering, operations, and business teams.
Software Product Business Knowledge:
- Applies a strong understanding of manufacturing operations, including production systems, automation, and quality management, to define product vision, functional roadmaps, and long‑term platform strategies.
- Uses domain expertise to anticipate user needs, align product capabilities to operational realities, and shape scalable digital solutions across manufacturing use cases.
Business Acumen:
- Leverages deep manufacturing and digital transformation knowledge to inform product and investment decisions that align with enterprise objectives and operational performance goals.
- Evaluates product opportunities and trade‑offs through the lens of business impact, manufacturability, scalability, and long‑term value.
Value Realization:
- Drives digital transformation initiatives with a strong focus on measurable outcomes, ensuring technology investments deliver tangible improvements in efficiency, quality, and operational effectiveness.
- Aligns product execution with value realization by integrating process change, technology adoption, and performance measurement within manufacturing environments.
Top candidates will also have:
- Experience with digital twin, simulation, or industrial modeling techniques
- Hands-on experience with NVIDIA Omniverse, including:
– Omniverse Kit
– USD (Universal Scene Description) - Experience integrating real-time industrial data into software systems
- Background in industrial IoT, MES, or smart manufacturing platforms
- Experience operating within large, global manufacturing organizations
Additional Information:
This position requires the candidate to work onsite five days a week at one of the following locations: Mossville, IL; Decatur, IL; Lafayette, IN; or Irving, TX.
Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position.
Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position.
This position may require up to 25% travel.
Summary Pay Range:
$172,630.00 - $258,950.00Compensation 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.
Benefits:
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.Relocation is available for this position.Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.Posting Dates:
March 17, 2026 - March 31, 2026Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.
Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.
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