Caterpillar, Inc

Mapleton Foundry IT Application Lead

Caterpillar, Inc$112K — $183K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of experience in IT with a focus on manufacturing applications.
  • Deep understanding of ERP and MES solutions, particularly MFG Pro.
  • Strong business acumen in manufacturing, operations, and supply chain contexts.
  • Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
  • Ability to prioritize effectively and manage competing demands.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the IT liaison for manufacturing initiatives collaborating with onsite IT and cross-functional teams.
  • Analyze and align end-to-end manufacturing processes with IT capabilities.
  • Enhance manufacturing systems focusing on ERP and MES solutions.
  • Act as a trusted advisor, communicating trade-offs and risks to stakeholders.
  • Identify opportunities to use data, analytics, and AI to improve operations.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision plans available from day one.
  • Comprehensive paid time off including vacation, holidays, and volunteer days.
  • 401(k) savings plan with company contributions.
  • Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) available.
  • Support for career development through educational programs and tuition reimbursement.
Full Job Description
Career Area:
Technology, Digital and Data

Job Description:

This role will provide application expertise to the Mapleton Castings and other Large Power manufacturing facilities. This is a critical role in bridging operational business processes with IT solutions, ensuring technology directly enables operational performance, reliability, and business success.

The ideal candidate brings deep understanding of manufacturing operations, strong business acumen, and the ability to influence across cross functional teams. This role requires someone who can translate shop-floor and plant-level needs into scalable, sustainable IT solutions while balancing priorities.

What You Will Do:
  • Serve as IT liaison across manufacturing initiatives partnering closely with onsite IT resources, cross-business functional teams, as well as extended IT organizations and third-party providers.
  • Analyze and understand end-to-end manufacturing processes, aligning them with enabling IT capabilities.
  • Enhance and optimize use of manufacturing systems, with a strong emphasis on ERP / MES Solutions.
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to manufacturing and technology stakeholders by clearly communicating tradeoffs, risks, and value.
  • Identify opportunities to leverage data, analytics, and AI-enabled solutions to improve decision-making, efficiency, and operational outcomes.


What You Have:
  • Advanced experience in IT with manufacturing applications experience.
  • Demonstrated advanced functional knowledge of MFG Pro and other ERP / MES Solutions.
  • Proven business acumen, particularly in manufacturing, operations, and supply chain.
  • Excellent soft skills, including communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management.
  • Strong prioritization capabilities effectively managing competing demands.


Top Candidates Will Have:
  • Experience supporting or integrating with various ERP and MES systems in a manufacturing or enterprise context.
  • Familiarity with data solutions, reporting platforms, or manufacturing analytics.
  • Experience applying AI or advanced analytics to solve operational or business problems


Skills Descriptors:

Core Application Systems:
  • Knowledge of major production application systems used for delivery of services to internal and external clients; ability to leverage major production application systems in diverse situations
  • Manages application-related issues, implications, and approaches with clients.
  • Evaluates key interfaces and interdependencies among core applications systems.
  • Explains features and benefits of core applications for consideration by business units.
  • Implements existing and planned application enhancements in major business units.
  • Tracks data flow between own applications and core applications in other business areas.
  • Plans enhancement, conversion, and retirement strategies for core applications.


Problem Solving:
  • Ensures capture of lessons to be learned from a problem-solving effort.
  • Use varying problem-solving approaches and techniques as appropriate.
  • Contributes to standard practices for problem-solving approaches, tools, and processes.
  • Develop successful resolutions to critical or wide-impact problems.


Application Design, Architecture:
  • Knowledge of basic activities and deliverables of application design; ability to utilize application design methodologies, tools, and techniques to convert business requirements and logical models into technical application design.
  • Facilitates application design reviews and walkthroughs.
  • Creates and evaluates technical alternatives for complex applications.
  • Interprets application services such as API; integrate them with technical design.
  • Develops various, distinct, and multiple technical application designs.
  • Prepares technical design documents and blueprints for applications.
  • Explores and evaluates application design considerations for multiple technologies.


IT Service Management (ITSM):
  • Knowledge of Information Technology (IT) service; ability to manage IT services and oversee service operations.
  • Promotes the use of standard procedures in each function of IT services.


Implementation:
  • Knowledge of how to run applications for organizations; ability to implement application software within an organization and help end-users perform specific tasks (ex: accounting or graphic design).
  • Tracks problems are associated with the quality and effectiveness of application software.
  • Researches the benefits and drawbacks of an organization's application software.
  • Drafts application software usage for the department's needs.
  • Provides instant support for end users of application software.
  • Implements specific application software under the supervision of management.


System and Technology Integration:
  • Knowledge of the features and facilities of systems; ability to integrate and communicate among applications, databases, and technology platforms.
  • Designs and develops applications or technology interfaces and bridges.
  • Documents existing best practices for system or technology integration processes.
  • Identifies and quantifies risks of proposed alternatives to a system or technology integration initiative.
  • Delivers training on key issues, interfaces, considerations and potential pitfalls and risks.
  • Discusses with line areas on data, technology, and application integration issues.
  • Advises others on how to integrate projects across multiple technologies.


Technical Troubleshooting:
  • Knowledge of technical troubleshooting approaches, tools, and techniques; ability to anticipate, recognize, and resolve technical issues on hardware, software, application, or operation.
  • Discovers, analyzes, and resolves hardware, software, or application problems.
  • Works with vendor-specific diagnostic guides, tools, and utilities.
  • Manages calls related to product features, applications, and compatibility standards.
  • Analyzes code, logs, and current systems as part of advanced troubleshooting.
  • Records and reports specific technical problems, solving processes and tools that have been used.


Additional Information:
  • This role can sit in Mossville, IL, or Mapleton Foundry
  • SPONSORSHIP IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THIS ROLE.
  • This role requires 5 days onsite.
  • Relocation: Yes


Education / Experience: Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience.

What You Will Get:
  • Our goal at Caterpillar is for you to have a rewarding career. Our teams are critical to the success of our customers who build a better world.
  • Here you earn more than just a salary because we value your performance. We offer a total rewards package that provides benefits on day one (medical, dental, vision, RX, and 401K) along with the potential of an annual bonus. Additional benefits include paid vacation days and paid holidays.
  • All qualified individuals - Including minorities, females, veterans, and individuals with disabilities - are encouraged to apply.


Summary Pay Range:

$112,710.00 - $183,140.00

Compensation 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

Posting Dates:
May 29, 2026 - June 8, 2026

About Caterpillar, Inc

Progress Rail Services Corporation, a Caterpillar company, is one of the largest integrated and diversified suppliers of railroad and transit system products and services worldwide. Since its acquisition by Caterpillar Inc. in 2006, Progress Rail has used the Caterpillar international footprint to gain quick and widespread notice and approval across the globe. Product technology, reliability and durability, along with legendary aftermarket parts and service support, have been their keys to success. Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The technology and world reach of Caterpillar, combined with the service standard and historical reliability of Progress Rail, ensures their products and services make a growing impact on the world rail industry. With their acquisition of Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), Progress Rail is the world's largest builder of diesel-electric locomotives for all commercial railroad applications including freight, intercity passenger, commuter, switching, industrial and mining. EMD is also a global provider of diesel power engines for marine propulsion, offshore and land based oil well drilling rigs and stationary power generation. Electro-Motive is the only diesel engine manufacturer of its size to have produced more than 70,000 engines. This success stems from product reliability, serviceability, load acceptance capability, low operating costs and ease of maintenance with standardized components.

Caterpillar, Inc. Careers

Join the robust team at Caterpillar, Inc., a global leader in construction and mining equipment, where innovation drives everything we do. As part of our team, you'll engage in work that improves the world and furthers your career with every project you touch.

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At Caterpillar, Inc., you will have the opportunity to contribute to a variety of groundbreaking projects that extend across the globe. Our commitment to leadership in the industry is unwavering, and we achieve it through a culture that fosters diversity and leadership development.

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Caterpillar offers a wide range of job opportunities and career paths, providing a platform for professional growth and development. Whether you're interested in engineering, sales, marketing, or management, Caterpillar has a position that will utilize your unique skills and talents. We are continuously hiring innovative minds to propel our mission forward and maintain our status as industry leaders.

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Choosing a career at Caterpillar means more than just having a job. It means you're part of a team that values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We offer competitive benefits to ensure the health and well-being of our employees and their families. These benefits include health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off, alongside unique perks like professional development and diversity training programs.

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Prepare for Your Interview

Make a great first impression. Prepare for your interview at Caterpillar by reviewing common questions and practicing your responses. Tailor your resume to highlight the experiences and skills that make you the ideal candidate for the position you are applying for. At Caterpillar, Inc., every role offers the chance to make an impact. Come be a part of our team and drive the future of our global industries. Your career at Caterpillar is not just about what you'll accomplish, but how you'll grow and the innovation you'll lead. Join us and build a career that matters.
Learn more about Caterpillar, Inc
Size
107,700 employees
Market Cap
$125.3 billion
Industry
Net Income
$2.9 billion
Founded
1925
5 Year Trend
+5.8%
Revenue
$41.7 billion
NASDAQ

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