Senior Autonomy Engineer

Caterpillar; Mossville (IL); On-site; USD 113,000 - 183,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) savings plans

Paid time off

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. is seeking a Senior Autonomy Development Engineer in Mossville, IL. You will define software requirements and develop perception features, calibrate cameras and radar, and validate with HIL benches. Expect collaboration with hardware teams and suppliers across a full software lifecycle.

The role emphasizes hands-on validation, data-driven testing, and mentoring junior engineers while working in a fast-paced, safety-focused environment.

Qualifications

• Design and develop software in C++ on embedded Linux for perception and autonomy.
• Define and manage software requirements, interfaces, and architecture tradeoffs.
• Install, calibrate, and validate cameras, radar and compute hardware on machines.
• Build/operate HIL benches; develop automated validation tooling in Python.

Responsibilities

• Develop application software in C++ on embedded Linux for camera and radar processing pipelines.
• Define software & system requirements and interface specs.
• Install, commission and calibrate sensors on machines; collect data at proving grounds and customer sites.
• Develop automated validation tooling to turn data into pass/fail results.
• Document architecture, design, verification plans, and procedures.
• Lead verification/validation with FuSa and SOTIF practices.
• Provide technical direction and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

C++

Python

Embedded Linux

Software debugging

Sensor integration

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Tools

GTest

MATLAB/Simulink

CAN tools

CUDA

Jetson/Thor tools

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

This Senior Autonomy Development Engineer position is with the Integrated Technology Solutions division of Cat Technology. This is a development role working with machine collision mitigation and avoidance systems. You'll be defining software and system requirements to develop new features, installing and calibrating perception sensors on machines, interacting with hardware component and supplier teams, troubleshooting issues across software and hardware, and coordinating validation from the bench through proving ground testing.

What You Will Do

• Participating in design and development of application software in C++ on embedded Linux, including camera and radar processing pipelines.
• Defining and managing software and system requirements, interface specifications, and architecture tradeoffs across sensing, compute, and machine integration.
• Installing, commissioning, and calibrating cameras, radar, compute, and data acquisition hardware on machines; planning and executing data collection at proving grounds and customer sites.
• Building and operating HIL benches and developing automated validation tooling in Python to turn collected data into repeatable pass/fail results.
• Documenting architecture specifications, software design descriptions, verification plans, test cases, operating procedures, and safety procedures.
• Utilizing appropriate tools to debug, test, and maintain software and hardware systems; leading the verification and validation process and applying functional safety (FuSa) and SOTIF practices.
• Providing technical direction and mentorship to junior engineers, and coordinating with hardware components, suppliers, and testing teams.

What You Will Have

• Programming: Knowledge of relevant programming languages and tools; ability to test, write, design, debug, troubleshoot and maintain source codes and computer programs using C++ and Python.
• Software Development Life Cycle: Knowledge of software development life cycle; ability to use a structured methodology for delivering and managing new or enhanced software products to the marketplace.
• Software Product Testing: Knowledge of software product testing; ability to design, plan, and execute testing strategies and tactics to ensure software product quality and adherence to stated requirements.
• Requirements Analysis: Knowledge of requirements elicitation and specification; ability to define, document, and manage system and software requirements and their associated interfaces.
• Technical Troubleshooting: Knowledge of diagnostic approaches, tools, and instrumentation; ability to isolate a fault across electrical, sensor, network, embedded, and machine domains.
• Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.
• Effective Communications: Knowledge of effective verbal, written, and documentation practices; ability to convey technical status and risk to cross-functional and global teams.

Considerations For Top Candidates

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• 5+ years in embedded, machine, autonomy, ADAS, or robotics systems, including hands-on hardware integration and validation.
• Experience with radar and camera data processing, perception, computer vision, or machine learning.
• Embedded datalinks (CAN, Ethernet) and CAN diagnostics tools (CANoe, CANalyzer, CANape, ETAS INCA).
• NVIDIA toolset (CUDA, TensorRT, Jetson/Thor ecosystem) and GPU-accelerated pipelines.
• Familiarity with functional safety standards (ISO 13849, ISO 25119, IEC 61508, ISO 21448).
• Sensor calibration, ISO compliance, and VR analysis experience.
• Test frameworks (GTest), HIL/SIL environments, robotics middleware, MATLAB/Simulink.
• Machine operation and application knowledge; ability to interpret electrical schematics.

Additional Information

• This position requires the candidate to work full-time at the Mossville IL office.
• Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position.
• Visa sponsorship is available with this position.
• This position will require up to 25% travel

Summary Pay Range

$112,710.00 - $183,140.00

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

• 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.