Director, Data Engineering

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.
Role Summary
The Director of Data Engineering is a senior technology leader responsible for designing, building, and scaling the enterprise data engineering ecosystem that powers Cat Technology platforms. This role will lead the extension of the Data Platform to support the physical AI platform for machine and jobsite autonomy, ensuring high‑quality, well-architected, and reliable data products that enable analytics, insights, and downstream applications.
The Director will set the vision for data design and architecture, oversee data acquisition and ingestion strategies, and lead the development of robust data engineering pipelines for transformation, quality, storage, and access. This role partners closely with business stakeholders, analytics, product, and various platform engineering teams to ensure data solutions are scalable, secure, and aligned to enterprise priorities.
What you will do:

• Define and own the data engineering strategy in support of Cat Technology platforms, including the data and AI platform.
• Lead, mentor, and develop data engineers, architects, and technical leads to build high‑performing teams
• Establish standards, best practices, and governance for data engineering, architecture, and lifecycle management
• Design and oversee scalable, secure, and resilient data architectures across cloud and hybrid environments
• Own data acquisition and ingestion strategies, including batch, streaming, and near‑real‑time pipelines
• Oversee development of reliable, cost‑effective data pipelines with strong data quality, monitoring, and observability
• Partner with product, analytics, platform, and business stakeholders to translate requirements into scalable data solutions

What you will have:

• Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
• Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.
• Software Engineering: Knowledge of software engineering; ability to deliver new or enhanced fee-based software products.
• Software Reliability Management: Knowledge of software reliability management; ability to develop and use principles, methodologies and metrics that increase software product performance and reliability.
• Agile Development: Knowledge of agile methodologies and the agile development lifecycle; ability to utilize formal agile methodologies, disciplines, practices and techniques for the delivery of new and enhanced applications.

Top candidates will have:

• 10+ years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, or related roles, with at least 5 years in a people‑leading or senior leadership capacity.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to balance long‑term vision and near‑term delivery.
• Strong people leader who develops talent and builds high‑performing teams.
• Strong experience designing and operating large‑scale data platforms and pipelines.
• Deep understanding of data modeling, data warehousing, and modern data architectures.
• Proven experience leading complex, cross‑functional initiatives in an enterprise environment.

• Experience supporting multi‑platform or product‑based data ecosystems.
• Hands‑on experience with cloud‑based data platforms, modern ETL/ELT frameworks, and data observability tools.
• Familiarity with data governance, privacy, and security best practices.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to align technical solutions to organizational outcomes.

Additional Details:

• This position requires the candidate to be based in either Chicago, IL ; Mossville, IL or Dallas, TX
• Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position.
• Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position.

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Summary Pay Range:
$189,080.00 - $283,630.00
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. This employer is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as, H, L, TN, F, J, E, O. As a global company, Caterpillar offers many job opportunities outside of the U.S which can be found through our employment website at www.caterpillar.com/careers.
Posting Dates:
February 16, 2026 - February 22, 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.
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