Senior Physical AI Engineer — Digital Twins & Autonomy

Socket.dev; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 148,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) savings plans

Tuition Reimbursement

Paid time off

Job summary

Caterpillar is seeking a Lead Physical AI engineer to drive high-fidelity digital twins and machine dynamics models for construction machines. You will define standards for simulation, autonomy, and Physical AI initiatives using NVIDIA Newton, Isaac Sim, Omniverse, OpenUSD, and related NVIDIA tech.

You will collaborate across teams to deliver scalable simulation solutions. The role focuses on bridging machine physics with autonomy, reinforcing model validation, and accelerating AI-enabled

Qualifications

• Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in simulation, robotics, autonomous systems, digital twins, or machine dynamics.
• Demonstrated expertise in NVIDIA Newton or similar tools, including multibody dynamics, articulated systems, and machine physics simulation.
• Strong knowledge of vehicle dynamics, hydraulics, powertrain systems, kinematics, and machine-terrain interaction.

Responsibilities

• Lead NVIDIA Newton Technical Leadership and define modeling standards.
• Develop machine dynamics and physics models using NVIDIA Newton.
• Advance Physical AI, autonomy, and robotics enablement across simulation environments.
• Establish validation processes aligning simulations with real-world data and tests.
• Lead ROM development for real-time analysis and AI-enabled workflows.
• Shape research strategy and roadmap for digital twins and AI-enabled engineering.

Skills

Python

C++

NVIDIA Newton

Robotics

Machine dynamics

Education

Bachelor's/Master's/PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

NVIDIA Isaac Sim

Omniverse

OpenUSD

ROS2

Job description

Caterpillar is seeking a Lead Physical AI engineer to drive high-fidelity digital twins and machine dynamics models for construction machines. You will define standards for simulation, autonomy, and Physical AI initiatives using NVIDIA Newton, Isaac Sim, Omniverse, OpenUSD, and related NVIDIA tech.

You will collaborate across teams to deliver scalable simulation solutions. The role focuses on bridging machine physics with autonomy, reinforcing model validation, and accelerating AI-enabled