Lead Data Scientist

Career Area:
Technology, Digital and Data
Job 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.
As a Lead Data Scientist in Corporate Aftermarket Finance Services, you will provide specialized data science expertise and technical leadership to support all aspects of forecast analytics for Caterpillar aftermarket parts and related special projects. The role is responsible for managing and optimizing key analytical processes that support the enterprise-critical Dealer Parts Orders (DPO) forecast and insights generation. This position oversees the end‑to‑end Parts Long‑Term Forecast (LTF) process - spanning system architecture design and implementation; data engineering and statistical model development; user training, and stakeholder approvals - to ensure accurate and efficient forecasting. The role owns design, maintenance and enhancements of Power BI dashboards to deliver clear, actionable insights to stakeholders.
A core responsibility is safeguarding the integrity of both the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) forecast disaggregation and the annual business plan disaggregation for DPO. This includes owning the statistical modeling required to calculate probabilistic confidence intervals for aftermarket parts forecasts. The position also ensures timely, accurate updates to DPO systems and provides expert-level support for all product‑based allocation inquiries.
The role requires strong planning and prioritization skills to independently complete broadly scoped assignments and drive key business outcomes. Success in this position directly contributes to organizational goals related to customer satisfaction, process quality, accuracy, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
What You Will Do:

• Responsible for answering questions regarding the Dealer Parts Orders (DPO) product-based allocation.
• Own the Parts LTF process: system architecture design, analytics solution development, and user training.
• Own the design, development and maintenance of PowerBI dashboards to deliver the forecast analytics solutions.
• Responsible for the integrity of the disaggregation of the S&OP forecast.
• Own the foundational research in leveraging Gen AI LLM models for explainable forecast initiative.
• Lead design and implementation of LLM-powered analytics insight generation to explain forecast miss
• Own the statistical modelling for calculating forecast confidence intervals for aftermarket parts.
• Responsible for the integrity of the annual business plan disaggregation for DPO.
• Regularly and accurately maintain and update DPO systems and answer all related queries for their assigned allocations.
• Responsible for setting priorities and preparing work plan to complete broadly defined assignments and achieve desired results.
• Responsible for Value Stream Mapping for Business Process analysis and improvement.
• Responsible for Impact key quality goals including Customer Satisfaction, Continuous Improvement, Timeliness, Accuracy, Efficiency, Cost Savings, Process Quality, etc.

What You Have:
Business Statistics: In-depth knowledge of statistical methods, models, tools, and techniques, as used as industry-best-practices to solve diverse business problems and support business decision-making.
Time Series Modeling: In-depth knowledge of fundamental concepts of time series stationarity, seasonality, and time series decomposition. Extensive experience in applying statistical tools and techniques for time series analysis and modelling.
Machine Learning: In-depth knowledge of principles, technologies and algorithms of machine learning and deep learning; Demonstrated ability to develop, implement and deliver related systems, products and services.
Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Understanding the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.
Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.
Platform and Programming Skill: Knowledge of basic concepts and capabilities of analytics programming languages; Ability to use tools, techniques and platforms in order to write and modify analytics programs; Proficiency in the following:

• Analytics Programming Language: Python, R, SQL and SAS
• Data Engineering and Warehousing: Snowflake
• ML Platform: PyTorch or Tensorflow
• Insights Delivery: PowerBI; Rshiny / Dash / Streamlit
• Cloud Platform: AWS (S3, EC2, LAMBDA, Glue, Sagemaker) or its equivalent in Azure
• AI and Gen AI Orchestration: Ollama, AWS Bedrock / Sagemaker or Azure ML / Azure OpenAI

Query and Database Access Tools: Knowledge of data management systems; ability to use, support and access facilities for searching, extracting and formatting data for further use; Specifically, Proficiency in Snowflake SQL.
Requirements Analysis: Knowledge of tools, methods, and techniques of requirement analysis; ability to elicit, analyze and record required business functionality and non-functionality requirements to ensure the success of a system or software development project. Specifically, Experience in Azure DevOps
Top Candidates Will Also Have:

• Doctoral or Master's degree with 5 years of experience or a Bachelor's degree with 10 years of experience in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Accounting, Statistics, Data Science, Business Analytics, or a closely related field with extensive coursework in mathematical and statistical modeling.
• 5+ years of extensive experience in applying statistical models and methods to solve wide range of industry problems.
• 5+ years of extensive experience in applying statistical tools and techniques for time series analysis and modelling; demonstrating deep understanding of fundamental concepts of time series analysis: stationarity; seasonality; time series decomposition.
• 5+ years of extensive experience in developing end-to-end analytics solutions that span from data pipeline to insights delivery.
• Deep expertise and experience in applying classical statistical modelling methods, tools and techniques for time series forecasting included in the GLM, ARIMA and State Space family of models.
• Deep expertise and experience in contemporary deep learning tools and techniques for time series forecasting included in Transformer family of models with self-attention mechanism.
• Deep understanding of models and methods for Hierarchical time series and forecast reconciliation.
• Extensive experience and proficiency in R, Python and SQL / Snowflake queries
• Experience with AWS Cloud platform and AWS Glue
• Experience with Alteryx and SAS
• Extensive experience with PowerBI for development of reporting dashboards
• Experience with Rshiny / Dash / Streamlit for development of interactive web application for forecast analytics.
• High level of interpersonal skills and excellent communication and storytelling skills
• Experience in Value Stream Mapping for Business Process analysis and improvement

Additional Info:

• The ideal location for this role is Peoria - IL or Dallas - TX
• This position may require 10% travel.

About Caterpillar -
For more than a century, Caterpillar has helped build a better, more sustainable world. With 2025 sales and revenues of $67.6 billion, Caterpillar Inc. is shaping the future as the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. Backed by one of the largest independent global dealer networks and financing services through Cat Financial, the company's primary business segments: Power & Energy, Construction Industries and Resource Industries are solving customers' toughest challenges through commercial excellence and advanced technology, driven by a highly skilled, dedicated global team. Learn more at www.caterpillar.com.
Summary Pay Range:
$128,470.00 - $208,770.00
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
This position requires working onsite five days a week.
Relocation is available for this position.
Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position. This employer is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as, H, L, TN, F, J, E, O. As a global company, Caterpillar offers many job opportunities outside of the U.S which can be found through our employment website at www.caterpillar.com/careers.
Posting Dates:
February 9, 2026 - February 22, 2026
Any 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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