Principal Software Engineer - Java

Caterpillar Inc.; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. in Bengaluru, India, seeks a senior software architect to lead modernization of Helios platforms, migrating legacy Java/J2EE apps to cloud-native, scalable services.

You will define target architectures, guide implementation, run POCs, and drive adoption across global teams, mentoring engineers in modern design and DevOps practices.

This onsite role requires deep experience with microservices, containers, CI/CD, and machine-to-cloud integration in industrial domains.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of software engineering experience with hands-on development and leadership.
• Proven Java/J2EE development and scalable services delivery.
• Strong knowledge of software architecture, design patterns, and OO design.
• Experience modernizing legacy enterprise apps to microservices.
• Hands-on experience with Spring, REST APIs, and distributed systems.
• Database expertise: Postgres/SQL/NoSQL with data solution design.
• Experience with JPA/Hibernate/JDBC.
• Experience with testing (JUnit) and building high-quality software.
• Proficiency with Git, Maven, and debugging.
• Experience with Docker/Kubernetes, DevOps/CI-CD pipelines.
• Experience collaborating with global teams and mentoring.
• Understanding of onboard/offboard architectures and machine-to-cloud integration.

Responsibilities

• Lead modernization initiatives across Helios platforms and cloud-native transformations.
• Define architecture patterns and ensure alignment between intent and delivery.
• Guide design reviews and enforce coding standards.
• Mentor engineers in low-level and OO design.
• Drive POCs and translate into production-ready solutions.
• Promote adoption of CI/CD and containerization.
• Partner with DevOps and platform teams for release readiness.
• Embed AI and automation to improve productivity and quality.
• Collaborate with cross-functional and global teams.
• Deep-dive into legacy modules to propose refactoring strategies.

Skills

Java/J2EE

Microservices

Architecture design

Spring framework

REST/JSON APIs

Docker

Kubernetes

DevOps/CI-CD

Git/Maven

POCs/Innovation

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Git

Maven

Job description

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.

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.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to strategic modernization initiatives across Helios platforms, including transformation of legacy Java/J2EE applications to cloud-native(AWS) and scalable architectures
• Guide implementation approach for modernization initiatives, ensuring alignment between architecture intent and delivery execution
• Define and guide target architecture patterns and design principles for modernization efforts
• Drive experiments and proof-of-concepts (POCs) to evaluate new technologies, frameworks, and architectural patterns, enabling data-driven technology decisions
• Translate successful POCs into scalable, production-ready solutions and drive adoption across teams
• Influence engineering practices, standards, and architectural decisions across the broader Helios development community
• Lead architecture and design reviews, and code reviews, enforcing coding standards, best practices, and maintainable design patterns
• Mentor and coach engineers on low-level design, object-oriented design, and modern software engineering practices, elevating overall engineering capability
• Deep-dive into complex legacy modules, identifying constraints, and proposing optimal modernization or refactoring strategies
• Partner with DevOps and platform teams to ensure build, release, deployment readiness, and adoption of modern CI/CD and containerization practices
• Identify and drive opportunities to embed AI and automation into engineering workflows, improving developer productivity, quality, and delivery speed

Required Skills & Experience

• 15+ years of experience in software engineering, including strong hands-on development and technical leadership experience
• Proven experience in Java/J2EE-based application development, including leading design and delivery of scalable services
• Strong expertise in software architecture, design patterns, object-oriented design, and low-level design principles
• Experience modernizing legacy enterprise applications and transitioning to microservices-based architectures
• Hands-on experience with Spring frameworks, REST/JSON APIs, and distributed system design
• Comprehensive knowledge of database technologies, including Postgres, SQL, and NoSQL, with proven ability to design, optimize, and troubleshoot data solutions.
• Strong experience with data access technologies (JPA/Hibernate/JDBC)
• Experience with testing frameworks (e.g., JUnit) and building high-quality, testable software
• Proficiency with Git (branching, merging, tagging), Maven or equivalent build tools, and strong debugging skills
• Experience leading or contributing to POCs, innovation initiatives, or modernization programs
• Strong experience working with cross-functional and global teams, influencing without direct authority
• Excellent technical communication, mentoring, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience with containerization technologies (e.g., Docker) and working with DevOps/CI-CD pipelines
• Solid understanding of Kubernetes for orchestration of containerized applications
• Experience working with software systems in autonomous vehicles, mining, construction, or similar industrial domains
• Understanding of onboard (machine) and offboard (cloud/office) system architectures and their integration in distributed autonomy platforms
• Familiarity with communication protocols and networking concepts used in distributed systems (e.g., TCP/IP, messaging systems, telemetry pipelines)
• Experience designing or integrating systems involving machine-to-cloud or edge-to-cloud communication

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

September 16, 2026 - September 29, 2026

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.

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