Principal Perception Architect - Detection and Fusion

Caterpillar Brazil; Irving, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 148,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Paid time off

401(k) savings plans

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Parental leave

Job summary

Caterpillar is seeking a talented engineer in Irving, TX to own the architecture for modular perception and sensor fusion. The role focuses on transforming sensor data into reliable outputs for robotics, simulation, and safety analysis, with emphasis on camera, lidar, and 4D radar streams.

You will collaborate across edge platforms, robotics, and simulation teams to deliver robust autonomy capabilities, implement 3D mapping, and drive meaningful impact on real-world jobsites.

Qualifications

• Strong experience with modular perception ML and sensor fusion.
• Hands-on with camera images, lidar, and 4D radar.
• Knowledge of object detection, tracking, and 3D mapping.
• Experience in robotics, simulation, and safety analysis.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with edge platforms.

Responsibilities

• Define modular perception ML architecture for camera and lidar.
• Own sensor fusion across camera, lidar, radar, IMU, GNSS.
• Define object tracking and persistence across machines.
• Own 3D mapping and local-to-global map alignment.
• Define perception outputs for robotics, simulation, safety.

Skills

Modular perception ML

Sensor fusion

Object tracking

3D mapping

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Camera images processing

Lidar data

4D radar data

Job description

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.

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.

Help Build the Future of Caterpillar

At Caterpillar, technology always has a purpose, which is to solve our customers' toughest challenges. Through Cat Technology, we are solving problems by building the intelligence layer that connects machines, data, and people to make jobsites safer, more productive, and more sustainable. By combining deep domain expertise in physical systems with software, connectivity, autonomy, and AI, we deliver solutions that work in the real world- on real jobsites, at global scale. You’ll build and deploy against one of the most unique data foundations- over 1.6 million connected assets generating real-world data daily. These data and platform capabilities are enabling the development of AI models, edge computing architectures, and software systems that scale across fleets, products, and industries. The result will be a new generation of machines that continuously learn, improve, and deliver performance at scale.

Be Part of What’s Next in Autonomous Construction Sites Construction autonomy is one of the most complex challenges in applied AI, and at Caterpillar, advancements in physical AI, simulation, sensing, and edge computing are turning things that once felt impossible- intelligent machines operating in dynamic jobsites- into reality. Our connected ecosystem brings together massive volumes of high-quality data to create a foundation where engineers like you can build and deploy against. If this work motivates you, we invite you to join our team. In these roles, you’ll work at the intersection of the physical and digital worlds. You’ll help design and deliver intelligent systems that enable machines to perceive their environment, make informed decisions, and support safer, more productive operations.

Job Summary

Own the architecture for modular perception machine learning, sensor fusion, object tracking, object persistence, and 3D mapping using perception sensor data such as camera images, lidar point clouds, 4D radar point clouds, IMU data, GNSS data, and machine state inputs. This role focuses on transforming synchronized sensor data into reliable perception outputs, including detected objects, tracked objects, persistent object representation cross machines, drivable area segmentation, and local-to-global 3D maps. These outputs must be structured for use by robotics, simulation, and safety analysis.

Primary Responsibilities

• Define the modular perception ML architecture for camera-based object detection and drivable area understanding, point-cloud-based ground plane segmentation and object detection, and 4D radar-aided perception.
• Own the sensor fusion architecture across camera, lidar, 4D radar, IMU, GNSS, and machine state data to improve perception robustness, spatial consistency, and environmental awareness.
• Define object tracking and object persistence architecture, including object association, object lifecycle management, occlusion handling, and persistent object representation across multiple machines operating in the field.
• Own 3D mapping architecture, including local 3D scene representation, local-to-global map alignment, and support for persistent world representation.
• Define perception output interfaces for downstream consumers, including robotics, simulation, world model creation, validation, and safety analysis.

Candidate Requirements

• Strong experience with modular perception ML and sensor fusion for autonomous vehicles and robotics.
• Familiarity with construction, or 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.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with edge platform, robotics and simulation teams to turn perception algorithms into usable autonomy capabilities.

Additional Details

• This position requires the candidate to work full-time at the Irving, TX office (Dallas)
• Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position.
• Visa sponsorship is available for this position.
• This position will require up to 25% domestic travel.

Summary Pay Range

$147,760.00 - $240,110.00

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 available for eligible applicants.

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.

There’s more to work at Caterpillar than just the work itself. We hire smart, friendly people and it shows in our culture. We hold ourselves to high standards and make sure our values of integrity, excellence, teamwork, commitment and sustainability come to life in the way we work. We make sure our employees feel continuously challenged while also supported. We provide professional growth opportunities, including leadership programs. We celebrate the diversity of our team, while also working together as one Caterpillar. Our culture, like everything at our company, is made possible by each employee’s contribution. Person by person, we create the environment we work in, and we are proud of the Caterpillar we’ve built.