Senior Autonomy Systems Engineering Specialist

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) savings plans

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Career Development

Incentive bonus

Job summary

Caterpillar is seeking a Senior Autonomy Systems Engineering Specialist in Irving, TX to join the Surface Loading Autonomy team. You will lead integration of autonomy solutions with base machines used in construction, coordinating requirements, architecture, hardware, and test activities.

You will work hands-on in lab settings and on proving grounds, mentoring teams and delivering scalable autonomous capabilities for real-world job sites and fleets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field – or commensurate industry experience.

Responsibilities

• Apply new autonomous system solutions to machines working in the Construction Industry, including Excavators, Wheel Loaders and Articulated Trucks.
• Lead and contribute to the design, architecture, implementation, testing, and release of autonomy or robotics systems.
• Lead or strongly influence requirements generation and system architectural trade‑off decisions.
• Provide technical leadership across functional testing, verification, validation, and certification activities.
• Mentor engineers and raise overall technical quality through guidance and example.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

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'rejoining 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'tjust 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

As a Senior Autonomy Systems Engineering Specialist on the Surface Loading Autonomy team, you will be an integral part of the Caterpillar team developing the next generation of autonomous machines for the construction industry.

In this role you will provide technical and project leadership for integrating autonomy solutions with the base machine, including system-level integration, requirements definition, architectural alignment, hardware coordination, and test coordination, balancing short‑term delivery needs with long‑term architectural quality and product integrity.

The successful candidate will operate with a high degree of independence and will serve as a technical authority within their area of expertise, influencing architecture, design decisions, and engineering practices while mentoring and supporting teams across the organization.

Additionally, this role includes leadership of hands‑on engineering in both lab environment and on machine at our proving grounds for development, validation and demonstration of autonomous solutions.

What You Will Do

Apply new autonomous system solutions and technologies to machines working in the Construction Industry, including Excavators, Wheel Loaders and Articulated Trucks.

Lead and contribute to the design, architecture, implementation, testing, and release of autonomy or robotics systems

Lead or strongly influence requirements generation and system architectural trade‑off decisions

Provide technical leadership across functional testing, verification, validation, and certification activities

Integrate new technologies to improve the capability and robustness of autonomy solutions

Troubleshoot and resolve complex system issues across development and production environments

Facilitate and participate in design reviews and technical discussions

Communicate complex technical concepts, risks, readiness, and trade-offs clearly to engineers, stakeholders, and leadership

Manage projects balancing time, cost, quality, and risk

Mentor engineers and raise overall technical quality through guidance and example

What You Have Influencing Through Expertise:

Acquires expertise through training and practical experience in the relevant field.

Analyzes the needs, desires, and motivations of the other party to effectively understand a given scenario.

Identifies who the decision makers are and how they receive information.

Provides evidentiary support while giving opinions or recommendations to influence decision‑making.

Conducts tasks in such a way as to build a strong reputation and credibility as an expert in the field.

Artificial Intelligence: Strong knowledge of the concepts, technologies and methods of artificial intelligence (AI)

Assists in business requirements analysis in the AI solution design or deployment process.

Deploys, develops or operates specific AI products, equipment, systems and/or platforms to achieve certain business goals.

Tests and troubleshoots the functionality of AI applications and systems within a specific area.

Product Design/Architecture: Strong professional experience with the architecture and design of major or multiple products.

Strong ability to describe major architecture alternatives, tradeoffs and considerations.

Displays experience in estimating the time to develop a specific design of a proposed product.

Facilitates design reviews and walkthroughs.

Problem Solving: Identifiesand documents specific problems and resolution alternatives.

Helps to analyzerisksand benefits of alternative approaches and obtain decisions on resolution.

Uses fact‑finding techniques and diagnostic tools toidentifyproblems

Technical Troubleshooting: Discovers, analyzes, and resolves software, hardware, or application problems.

Analyzes code, logs, and current systems as part of advanced troubleshooting.

Records andreportsspecific technical problems, solving processes and tools that have been used.

Communicating Complex Concepts: Knowledge of effective presentation tools and techniques to ensure clear understanding; ability to use summarization and simplification techniques to explain complex technical concepts in simple,clear languageappropriate tothe audience.

Clearly explains project goals to team members, keeps leadership informed of progress, and shares relevant updates with external partners

Uses data‑driven arguments, active listening, and tailored messaging to persuade stakeholders and achieve consensus.

Education Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field – or commensurate industry experience.

Consideration for Top Candidates Extensive experience as a Systems Integration or Design Engineer supporting engineering projects on robotics, autonomous or semi‑autonomous systems.

Strong experience with robotics with an understanding of Planning, Perception, Positioning, and Controls.

Experience with radars and sensors such as LIDAR, GNSS, GPS, Radar, and other camera sensors preferred

Experiencewithfield testing, HIL, and ProvingGround support preferred

ExperiencewithSiteAutonomyPlatforms preferred

Knowledge and experience with WheelLoaders, Excavators, and/or ArticulatedTruckspreferred

Experience inConstruction orMining Industriespreferred

Additional Details

While the long‑term intent is for this position to be based in Dallas (Irving), Texas, the current program work is located in the Peoria, Illinois area, primarily at Caterpillar’s Peoria Proving Ground in Washington, Illinois, and Caterpillar’s Technical Center in Mossville, Illinois.

Travel Requirements

For candidates who begin the role in the Peoria area, travel associated with current project work is expected to be approximately 15%.

For candidates basedinthe Dallas area, travel is expectedto be approximately 75% due to the hands‑on, machine‑based natureof the work located in Illinois.

As aresult, the preferred arrangementisforthe successful candidate to bebasedinthe Peoria area initially tosupportcurrentprojectneeds, with afuturerelocation to Dallas (Irving), Texaswhen business needs align.

The timing of the relocation is to be determined based on

project and organizational requirements.

This position requires the candidate to workfulltime at their designated Caterpillar facility or Caterpillar facility where the current work is taking place.

Remoteworkis NOT available for thisposition.

Visasponsorshipis NOT available with thisposition.

Summary Pay Range

$128,470.00 - $208,770.00

Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized … etc

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 Discount
• 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 not available for this position.

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.