System Engineer

Transform the Future of Heavy Equipment: Lead Next-Gen System Design as our Senior System Design Engineer!

Ready to shape the future of heavy machinery and revolutionize earthmoving and paving technology on a global scale? Join our CTCT team in Dayton, Ohio, to design and integrate high-impact, innovative machine control systems that keep essential industries moving forward efficiently and safely.

About Us: Trimble Field Systems develops hardware, software and services that connect the site to the office for key industries around the world, including civil construction, surveying, mapping, automotive, marine, utilities and more. Leveraging decades of expertise and a commitment to driving innovative breakthroughs, we offer solutions that drive digital transformation across your field operations.

About Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies (CTCT):

The CTCT division (a joint venture between Trimble and Caterpillar) develops positioning, control, and automation products for earthmoving and paving machines in the construction and mining industries, using technologies such as GNSS, optical total stations, lasers, and sonics. The products are used in a range of applications where the operator of the machine benefits from having accurate horizontal and vertical guidance. For more information on currently developed products, see .

What Makes This Role Great:

As a System Design Engineer within CTCT, you will play a vital role in the team developing technology that works for our customers. In this hands-on role, you will be responsible for the specification, design, and integration of future machine control systems for earthmoving and paving machines (excavators, bulldozers, graders, etc.). You’ll work with marketing, multi-discipline engineering teams, and machine OEMs, to ensure we develop innovative, high-quality products.

You will utilize your detailed knowledge of practical applications of electrical, software, and mechanical engineering skills to lay out system architecture and the systems that are dependent on them. In addition to your broad-ranging technical skills, you will have excellent interpersonal skills to work within ambiguous situations, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to define and develop products, and help transform requirements into product strategy and technical direction, including sometimes serving as the technical lead in engineering teams (leading through influence).

Key Exciting Responsibilities:

• Create earthmoving and paving machine control system designs
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in the creation and application of system architectures, product design, and verification
• Assist in the decomposition of product system and safety requirements into subsystem requirements
• Support electronics hardware component selection and design ensuring system needs are met
• Define machine control networks including layout, system usage, security, and messaging
• Define communication interfaces including electrical implementation, bus loading analyses, and messaging protocols
• Coordinate with cross-functional engineering teams on product safety lifecycle and V-model execution
• Contribute to the creation of product safety concepts and architectures
• Participate in assessments influencing product safety such as hazard & risk analyses, DFMEA, FMEDA, PFMEA, and common cause failure analysis
• Technical Leadership: Assume a leadership role in resolving complex technical problems. Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and technicians.
• Travel (including international) is less than 25%

Essential Skills & Experience:

• BS in electrical engineering, mechatronics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience working in embedded product development.
• Minimum 3 years of experience developing functionally safe products.
• Familiar with system design - application level problem solving, system architectures, CAN networks, machine integration.
• Electronics experience; capable of understanding and developing system diagrams and schematics.
• Experience designing and interfacing with vehicular communication and control systems.
• Knowledge of electronic hardware and software product development processes and tools.
• Proven record of applying functional safety principles and practices to product development.
• Experience contributing to product risk assessments, FMEAs and FMEDAs.
• Technical leadership - use of influence and experience to achieve goals.
• Solid analytical and problem solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of writing technical specifications and presenting to customers and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a global team.

Bonus Points For:

• You have worked with Machine Control Systems.
• Familiarity with functions and usage of construction or agriculture machinery.
• Deep understanding of industry standards such as ISO 19014, ISO 13849, IEC 61508, and ISO 26262.
• Experience in the development and management of organizational standards and processes.
• Ability to reconcile functional and regulatory product requirements, and process them into detailed engineering requirements.
• You possess expertise in analog and exposure to digital electronic circuit design and risk mitigation strategies.
• You have a proven track record working with Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), specifically with accelerometers and gyroscopes.

Logistics:

Location: Dayton, Ohio

Travel Requirement: Less than 25% (including international)

Why You'll Love Working With Us At Trimble, we're not just a company that "does good"—we are a team dedicated to making a tangible, positive Real-World Impact. We build innovative solutions designed to solve the world's most critical challenges. From construction sites to transportation hubs, our work tangibly improves how people live, build, move, and grow.

• You'll work on projects that truly matter: Our purpose-driven culture means you'll be helping to build and deliver solutions that make work faster, safer, and more sustainable for millions of people worldwide. Our impact is tangible, from connected machines that save fuel to data-driven insights that reduce waste.
• Collaborate with like-minded people: Our strong internal culture is a "hidden gem." You will work with a collaborative, supportive team that shares your purpose and fosters a genuine sense of belonging. We're a company of "visionary pragmatists" who think boldly and build things that work.
• Be an owner: Trimble thrives on individuals who take initiative and embrace ownership. You'll find an entrepreneurial spirit where success is often "self-authored," empowering proactive "doers."

System Design Engineer, Machine Control Systems, Embedded Systems, Functional Safety, CAN Network, Mechatronics, Earthmoving Equipment, ISO 26262, Electrical Engineering, Systems Architecture

Compensation: Trimble provides the following compensation range and general description of other compensation and benefits that it in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position. This compensation range is based on a full time schedule. Trimble reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, or federal law.

Hiring Range

$115,600.00–$158,900.00

Pay Rate Type

Salary

Bonus Eligible?

Yes

Commission Eligible?

No

Benefits: Trimble offers comprehensive core benefits that include Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability, Time off plans and retirement plans. Most of our businesses also offer tax savings plans for health, dependent care and commuter expenses as well as Paid Parental Leave and Employee Stock Purchase Plan. If this position is identified above as commission- or bonus-eligible, the terms of the commission plan or discretionary bonus plan for which you are eligible will be provided following the employee start date.

How to Apply: Please submit an online application for this position by clicking on the ‘Apply Now’ button located in this posting.

Application Deadline: Trimble accepts applications on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

At Trimble, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace where everyone can thrive. Guided by our core values—Belong, Innovate, and Grow—we embrace and celebrate differences, knowing they make us stronger and more innovative. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, welcoming individuals of all backgrounds and advancing opportunities while embracing race, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other protected and diverse characteristic. We are committed to offering our candidates and employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs the ability to seek reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law and/or where it would not constitute undue hardship for Trimble. For more, please see Trimble's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics at, under “Corporate Governance.”

Our mission to transform the way the world works starts with transforming how we work together. By actively listening, asking questions, and taking intentional actions, we cultivate a culture that provides equitable opportunities for everyone to contribute and grow.

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