Autonomy Engineering Specialist - Perception

Caterpillar Inc.; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 128,000 - 209,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Paid time off

401(k) savings plans

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Career Development

Incentive bonus

Life Insurance

Parental leave

Tuition Reimbursement

Domestic relocation assistance

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. seeks an Autonomy Engineering Specialist - Perception to develop advanced perception modules for autonomous and operator-assisted driving on mobile off-road machines.

You will lead design and testing of sensor fusion, object detection, and tracking within our software stack and hardware platform. The role requires deep expertise in C++ and Python, with hands-on experience in computer vision, ML, and ROS/OpenCV.

Qualifications

• Experience with modular perception ML and sensor fusion for autonomous vehicles and robotics.
• Hands-on experience with camera images, lidar and 4D radar point clouds, IMU, GNSS, and machine state data in real perception systems.
• Solid understanding of object detection, drivable area understanding, ground plane segmentation, object tracking and fusion, and 3D mapping.

Responsibilities

• Solve challenging perception problems for mobile off-road machines.
• Lead other developers in the design and development of high-quality perception software to solve our customer needs.
• Document architecture specifications, software design, verification plans, test cases, operating procedures, and safety procedures.
• Work with application teams to collect and analyze data on customer experience with robotic and manned platforms. Participate in the iterative ML training cycles to meet perception requirements.
• Use appropriate tools to debug, test and maintain perception software and assist in the verification and validation process.

Skills

C++

Python

Computer vision

ML

Sensor fusion

Object detection

Tracking

Tools

ROS

OpenCV

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Git

CMake

Docker

GoogleTest

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

As the Autonomy Engineering Specialist - Perception, you will be responsible for developing cutting-edge autonomous and operator-assisted driving systems. You will design, implement, and test modules for sensor fusion, object detection, tracking and classification and be a technical leader on the Perception team. You will also collaborate with other tech leads to integrate your solutions into our software stack and hardware platform.

What You Will Do

• Solve challenging perception problems for mobile off-road machines.
• Lead other developers in the design and development of high-quality perception software to solve our customer needs.
• Document architecture specifications, software design, verification plans, test cases, operating procedures, and safety procedures.
• Work with application teams to collect and analyze data on customer experience with robotic and manned platforms. Participate in the iterative ML training cycles to meet perception requirements.
• Use appropriate tools to debug, test and maintain perception software and assist in the verification and validation process.

What You Will Have

• Experience with modular perception ML and sensor fusion for autonomous vehicles and robotics. Familiarity with off-road autonomy applications is a plus.
• Hands‑on experience working with camera images, lidar and 4D radar point clouds, IMU, GNSS, and machine state data in real perception systems.
• Solid understanding of object detection, drivable area understanding, ground plane segmentation, object tracking and fusion, and 3D mapping.

Software Development Life Cycle

• Participate in Agile software development from requirements and architecture through validation and deployment.
• Develop software design documentation, verification plans, and test procedures.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to deliver safe, production-quality autonomy solutions

Programming

• Excellence in C++
• Fluency in Python
• Experience developing computer vision, machine learning, sensor fusion, object detection, and tracking modules.
• Strong software engineering, debugging, and code quality practices

Technical Troubleshooting

• Knowledge of debugging and validation tools to analyze and resolve perception software issues.
• Ability to analyze code, logs, sensor data, and machine performance data to troubleshoot complex problems.
• Experience with verification and validation activities for autonomous machine systems.

Considerations For Top Candidates

• Experience developing perception and calibration for autonomous vehicles, robotics, or advanced operator assist systems using lidar, radar, and cameras (typically 7+ years)
• Strong background in computer vision, machine learning, deep learning, sensor fusion, object detection, classification, and tracking.
• Demonstrated ability to lead other developers
• Experience developing production-quality software in C++ and Python.
• Experience with ROS/AIS, OpenCV, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and modern software development tools including Git, CMake, Docker, and GoogleTest.
• Experience developing, integrating, or validating complex autonomous systems with a focus on machine safety and productivity.
• Experience working in Agile environments using Azure DevOps or Jira and leveraging AWS cloud technologies (EC2, S3, Batch) for data processing and model development.

Additional Information

• This position requires the candidate to work full-time at the Irving, TX office.
• Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position.
• Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position.
• This position will require up to 10% travel

Summary Pay Range

$128,470.00 - $208,770.00

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

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.