Principal Perception Architect - System Integration

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.

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. 

Apply today to build the new era of construction autonomy at Caterpillar.  

Job Summary:

Own the front-end perception sensor system architecture for autonomous machine platforms. This role focuses on selecting, evaluating, integrating, and validating sensors such as cameras, lidar, radar, IMU, GNSS, ultrasonic, and other sensing technologies so reliable data streams are available for downstream services and platforms.

This role also works with the existing Data Collection Kit to understand current sensor capability, integration gaps, data quality limitations, and improvement opportunities.

What You Will Do:

• Define perception sensor selection and evaluation strategy across cameras, lidar, radar, IMU, GNSS, ultrasonic, and other sensing technologies.
• Own perception sensor integration architecture, including sensor interfaces, driver software requirements, data stream readiness, startup behavior, configuration, health monitoring, diagnostics, and status reporting.
• Assess the existing Data Collection Kit to identify sensor coverage gaps, data quality issues, integration limitations, interface constraints, and improvement opportunities.
• Identify and resolve sensing coverage gaps across the machine, including blind spots, field-of-view and range limitations, placement constraints, and data reliability risks.
• Define sensor mounting, electrical, network, cabling, packaging, environmental protection, and serviceability requirements to ensure sensors can be reliably integrated into machine platforms.

What You Will Have:

• Analytical Thinking: Expert Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.
• Platform Architecture: Expert knowledge of technologies and methods to design processing mechanisms and roadmaps to execute business application systems; ability to design these roadmaps and deploy supportive interfaces for end-users to access related systems, in accordance with standards and processes.
• Data Architecture: Expert knowledge of processes, techniques and factors that affect data architecture; ability to design blueprints on how to integrate data resources for business processes and functional support.   Ability to utilize design methodologies, tools and te