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Cat Digital delivers digital and technology solutions that power Caterpillar's world-famous yellow iron.
The Role
Serves as the technical authority for MineStar Onboard autonomy software on mining machines. Decomposes site designs into system architectures and requirements, manages interfaces and traceability, leads design reviews and trade studies, and supports integration, testing, verification, certification, and release readiness. Provides technical guidance on geospatial data, secure communications, deployment, escalated issues, and system-level risks while collaborating with product teams in a SAFe Agile environment.
Summary Generated by Built In
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.
This role serves as the technical authority for MineStar Onboard, the software that runs on Caterpillar mining machines to deliver autonomy, productivity and safety capabilities at customer sites.
The Autonomy Engineering Specialist sits between Site Solutions, Site Systems and L6 Solutions, breaking site-level system designs down into the architectures and requirements that product teams deliver. Working in a highly collaborative SAFe environment, this role applies systems engineering, design and validation expertise to keep requirements, interfaces, geospatial data and secure communications aligned from site design through release.
What You Will Do:
What You Have:
Consideration for Top Candidates:
Additional Information:
Summary Pay Range:
$128,470.00 - $208,770.00
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.
* 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:
October 22, 2026 - November 4, 2026
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.
Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community.
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.
This role serves as the technical authority for MineStar Onboard, the software that runs on Caterpillar mining machines to deliver autonomy, productivity and safety capabilities at customer sites.
The Autonomy Engineering Specialist sits between Site Solutions, Site Systems and L6 Solutions, breaking site-level system designs down into the architectures and requirements that product teams deliver. Working in a highly collaborative SAFe environment, this role applies systems engineering, design and validation expertise to keep requirements, interfaces, geospatial data and secure communications aligned from site design through release.
What You Will Do:
- Serve as the technical authority for MineStar Onboard, including its architecture, functionality, interfaces, performance, limitations and technical roadmap, and act as the go-to technical contact for Site Solutions, Site Systems, L6 Solutions and product teams.
- Analyze L8 site systems designs and decompose them into Onboard system and subsystem architectures and requirements allocated to L6 solutions, so that L6 TPMs and their product teams can pick them up and deliver.
- Define needs, write clear, testable requirements, and maintain traceability from site-level needs through L6 requirements to verification.
- Lead design reviews and walkthroughs, evaluate architecture alternatives and trade-offs, and estimate the cost and effort of proposed designs.
- Consult on the integration of MineStar Onboard with machine platforms, site infrastructure and other MineStar and third-party products, and define and manage the associated interfaces.
- Define architectures and requirements for geospatial data and secure communications (e.g., VPN, MQTT) between machines, site infrastructure and cloud services.
- Participate in test review and analysis, test witnessing, certification and release readiness for Onboard software, and support verification and validation planning against the intent of the L8 site systems design.
- Evaluate and apply new technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve the capability of the Onboard portfolio.
- Provide technical guidance to Site Solutions and Site Systems on feasibility, configuration and deployment, and support analysis of escalated issues from customer sites.
- Perform trade studies and change-impact analysis as site designs, requirements or product plans evolve, and identify and drive mitigation of system-level risks.
- Work with L6 TPMs and Product Owners in a SAFe agile environment to review, refine and prioritize allocated requirements.
- Communicate requirements, technical risk, readiness and trade-offs to stakeholders, and document system architecture, design decisions, interface expectations and validation strategy.
What You Have:
- Systems Engineering Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in systems engineering, or systems and software development, for complex, software-intensive systems, including developing, decomposing and managing requirements, interfaces and validation plans across multi-team or multi-product environments.
- Software Product Design/Architecture: Experience with the architecture and design of major or multiple products; ability to convert customer and system requirements into practical system designs, facilitate design reviews and analyze architecture trade-offs.
- Autonomy and Embedded Systems Knowledge: Working knowledge of autonomy, robotics or machine control systems and of embedded onboard software and systems (e.g., Linux-based platforms, machine networks and sensors) sufficient to act as technical authority for the product. Hands-on software development is not required.
- Software Development Life Cycle: Knowledge of structured product development methods and experience working in an Agile environment.
- Software Product Testing: Knowledge of verification and validation; ability to review test plans and results and confirm adherence to stated requirements.
- Effective Communications: Ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly to varied audiences and to influence decisions across teams and levels of the organization through technical expertise.
- Education Requirements: Degree in an accredited Engineering, Computer Science or Materials Science curriculum, or equivalent.
Consideration for Top Candidates:
- Experience in autonomy, robotics or machine control and automation product development programs.
- Experience with mining, heavy machinery or construction equipment, such as haul trucks, loaders, dozers or motor graders, or supporting customer-site deployments and commissioning.
- Experience with model-based systems engineering (e.g., SysML) and requirements management tools.
- Working knowledge of artificial intelligence applied to autonomy or industrial domains.
- Experience or working knowledge of GIS, including site maps, geospatial data and positioning, as applied to mine sites or similar environments.
- Knowledge of functional safety and safety-critical system design.
- Experience with GPS positioning, wireless networks, TCP/IP, UDP/IP, CAN/J1939 and real-time operating systems.
- Experience or working knowledge of secure communications for distributed systems (e.g., VPN, MQTT, TLS and network security practices).
- Interest in developing scripts or tools (e.g., Python) to automate analysis, requirements or traceability work for yourself or for the organization.
- Systems engineering certification (e.g., INCOSE CSEP) or professional engineering registration.
- Proven ability to mentor or influence engineers and communicate complex technical concepts in clear, actionable terms.
Additional Information:
- This position requires the candidate to work full-time in Irving, TX.
- Relocation assistance is available for this position
- Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position
- This position will require 25-50% travel - heavier in the first year.
- #LI
Summary Pay Range:
$128,470.00 - $208,770.00
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 not available for this position.
Posting Dates:
October 22, 2026 - November 4, 2026
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.
Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community.
Skills Required
- At least 5 years of experience in systems engineering or systems and software development for complex, software-intensive systems
- Experience developing, decomposing, and managing requirements, interfaces, and validation plans across multiple teams or products
- Experience architecting and designing major or multiple software products
- Ability to convert customer and system requirements into practical system designs
- Experience facilitating design reviews and analyzing architecture trade-offs
- Working knowledge of autonomy, robotics, or machine control systems
- Working knowledge of embedded onboard software and systems, including Linux-based platforms, machine networks, and sensors
- Knowledge of structured software product development methods and experience in an Agile environment
- Knowledge of software verification and validation, including reviewing test plans and results
- Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and influence decisions across teams and organizational levels
- Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Materials Science, or equivalent
- Experience in autonomy, robotics, machine control, or automation product development
- Experience with mining, heavy machinery, construction equipment, customer-site deployments, or commissioning
- Experience with model-based systems engineering, such as SysML, and requirements management tools
- Working knowledge of artificial intelligence applied to autonomy or industrial domains
- Experience or working knowledge of GIS, site maps, geospatial data, and positioning
- Knowledge of functional safety and safety-critical system design
- Experience with GPS positioning, wireless networks, TCP/IP, UDP/IP, CAN/J1939, and real-time operating systems
- Experience or working knowledge of VPN, MQTT, TLS, and network security practices
- Interest in developing Python scripts or tools for analysis, requirements, or traceability automation
- Systems engineering certification, such as INCOSE CSEP, or professional engineering registration
- Ability to mentor or influence engineers and communicate complex technical concepts clearly and actionably
- Ability to work full-time onsite in Irving, Texas
- Ability to travel 25% to 50%, with heavier travel during the first year
What the Team is Saying
Pradeep
Software Engineer
Christina
Platform Services
Chad
Business Intelligence & Visualization
Madison
Recruiter
Rakshan
Digital Product Manager
MacGregor
Lead Software Engineer
Stan
Software Engineering Manager
Caterpillar Compensation & Benefits Highlights
-
Retirement Support — Retirement plans are highlighted as a standout element, with a strong company match and an additional company contribution noted for certain groups. Feedback suggests this is a notable strength of the package, with specifics dependent on plan and eligibility.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as comprehensive, spanning medical, dental, vision, HSAs/FSAs, wellness resources, and mental-health support through the EAP. Feedback suggests these offerings are competitive and broadly well regarded.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave and adoption assistance are explicitly included, with adoption reimbursement and supportive leave policies emphasized. Feedback suggests family support is generous and a meaningful part of total rewards.
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The Company
What We Do
Cat Digital is the digital and technology arm of Caterpillar Inc., responsible for bringing digital capabilities to our world-famous yellow iron. With over 1.5M connected assets worldwide, our teams use data, technology, advanced analytics and AI capabilities to help solve our customers' toughest challenges.
Why Work With Us
At Cat Digital, we're accelerating Caterpillar's digital transformation to help customers solve their toughest challenges. Our teams use enterprise-wide data, emerging technologies, and customer insights to deliver solutions that drive real-world impact. Join us as we create innovative experiences that help customers succeed and power the world aro
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Caterpillar Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Typical time on-site:
Flexible
