Principal Robotics Engineer

Job description

Career Area

Engineering 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. 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.

Role Definition We build the autonomy stack that lets large off-road machines operate themselves on real customer sites — from perception through motion to control, with modern learning-based methods and a classical robotics foundations.

We are hiring high-quality robotics generalists

engineers who can work confidently across the full stack and go deep in at least one domain. You will own real components end-to-end — from idea and prototype through to production on hardware.

Responsibilities

Participating in the processes of test review and analysis, test witnessing and certification of robotics software. Design, build, and ship autonomy components across perception, planning, control, and learning. Take work from prototype to production on real hardware. Bring depth in your specialty while contributing broadly across the stack. Work in small, outcome-owning pods staffed from our capability benches.

Skill Descriptors Software Product Design/Architecture

Knowledge of software product design; ability to convert market requirements into the software product design.

Artificial Intelligence

Knowledge of the concepts, technologies and methodologies of artificial intelligence (AI); ability to develop, implement and/or apply artificial intelligence products and services in specific industry domain to achieve business goals.

Programming

Knowledge of relevant programming languages and tools; ability to test, write, design, debug, troubleshoot and maintain source codes and computer programs.

Top Candidates Will Have

Typically, 10+ years of related engineering experience Strong robotics generalist — comfortable moving across the autonomy stack rather than staying in one narrow lane.

Deep expertise in at least one of: AI, motion planning, perception, controls, or SLAM. C++ and Python, production-quality. ROS (or similar) in real robotics systems. Full-lifecycle product experience — ideally has taken robotics products from idea to production, not just research or prototypes. Pragmatic, first-principles engineer who owns components end-to-end and collaborates across a fast-moving delivery team. Excited to get out on site and see their own code operate on iron — real machines in the real world, not just in the lab.

Real-world / field robotics or autonomous vehicles (on- or off-road). Learning-based control or perception, or foundation / VLA-style models. Sim and on-vehicle deployment. MLOps / training-infrastructure depth for the ML-leaning profile.

Additional Details

This position requires the candidate to work full-time at the Irving, TX office (Dallas) Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position. Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position.

Summary

Pay Range: $147,760.00 - $240,110.00 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 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. Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community .