Technical Specialist - Excavator Platforms

Principal Systems Engineer / Technical Specialist - Excavator Platforms This role would suit an experienced engineer with extensive experience and knowledge of Excavator construction machinery platforms.

• Salary: Up to €100,000 + benefits
• Location: Greater Bologna Area, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
• Industry: Construction Machinery Manufacturing / Heavy Industrial Automation This role involves working for a growing, global player within the construction equipment manufacturing sector. They seek an Excavator technical authority to steer the future development of their excavator platforms. The role would suit a principal systems engineer, systems architect or technical specialist with extensive experience of developing Excavator machines and platforms. As an "Excavator Expert" you will help to guide future platform development, working with customers, applications engineering, engineering design and development to enhance current products and develop future capabilities - specifically next-generation Excavator machinery optimised for the European market. The Role & Strategic Purpose - Technical Specialist - Excavator Platforms As a technical authority for European excavator products, you will bridge the gap between global R&D capabilities and localized European market needs. You will directly guide engineering teams to build products capable of outperforming competitors and capturing significant European market share. Typical involvements: Technical Specialist - Excavator Platforms
• Drive Platform Strategy: Support the definition of long-term technical roadmap for future European excavator platforms, ensuring models align with local performance, regulatory, and safety standards.
• Lead System Architecture: Oversee the structural and functional integration of complex subsystems, including digital hydraulics, advanced fluid power, powertrain, structural chassis, and mechatronic control systems.
• Guide & Mentor: Act as the technical reference point for regional design teams, vehicle integration engineers, and collaborate seamlessly with global R&D centres.
• Market Benchmarking: Translate competitor analysis, dealer feedback, and voice-of-customer data into actionable engineering and platform requirements.
• Validation & Homologation: Supervise platform validation, vehicle testing, homologation protocols, and field-testing to ensure premium quality standards. Skills / Knowledge Required; Technical Specialist - Excavator Platforms
• Deep Domain Expertise: 10+ years of technical experience within construction machinery, focused specifically on excavator platforms for construction applications
• System Mastery: A proven track record as a Senior Systems Engineer, Systems Architect, Technical Specialist, or Technical Lead managing and delivering complex machine development
• Technical Proficiencies: Strong familiarity with excavator systems (e.g. advanced hydraulics and control, structures, powertrains, performance and optimisation, etc)
• Performance and optimisation: Experience of construction machinery test, validation and performance
• Communication & Influence: Fluency in English is required (Italian language skills are a strong asset).
• Education: Degree (BSc, MSc, or Ph.D.) in Mechanical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or Aerospace Engineering or similar. This Principal Systems Engineer / Technical Specialist - Excavator Platforms - role is based in the Bologna area and is commutable from Modena, Ferrara, Imola, Reggio Emilia and Faenza This role is based on site near Bologna, Italy, and will require occasional travel to customer sites and R&D centres