Principal Software Engineer

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.

Cat Digital is the digital and technology arm of Caterpillar Inc., leveraging the latest technologies to build industry leading digital solutions for our customers and dealers. With over 1.5 million connected assets worldwide, our teams use data, technology, advanced analytics, telematics, and AI capabilities to help our customers build a better, more sustainable world.

Job Summary:

Join the Cat Foresight team and help shape the future of dealer-facing applications that monitor asset health, optimize maintenance, and drive operational efficiency. As a Principal Software Engineer, you’ll lead frontend architecture and development across multiple workstreams, delivering intuitive, scalable, and high-performing user experiences for global users.

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will be at the forefront of innovation, leading all stages of software development. Your responsibilities will include refining the product vision, gathering requirements, project planning, software system design, coding, testing, release, deployment, and support. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of our products and make a significant impact on our customers' success.

What You’ll Do

• Architect and evolve frontend systems built in React.

• Lead complex projects spanning across multiple system components.

• Assist product management with new requirements by conducting feasibility studies, developing proof of concepts (POCs), and troubleshooting larger or overarching concerns.

• Partner closely with backend engineering teams to design robust APIs, align on data contracts, and ensure seamless integration between frontend components and core services.

• Optimize UI performance for large datasets and ensure accessibility across Cat Foresight modules.

• Collaborate with product owners, UX researchers, and analytics teams to align technical solutions with business goals.

• Leverage generative AI to accelerate UI development, automate repetitive coding tasks, and prototype user flows. Evaluate and integrate AI-assisted design tools to enhance developer productivity and user experience.

• Mentoring and assisting software engineers, providing technical assistance and direction.

• Lead distributed teams across India, Slovakia, and USA.

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 Development Life Cycle: Knowledge of software development life cycle; ability to use a structured methodology for delivering and managing new or enhanced software products to the marketplace.
Software Integration Engineering: Knowledge of software integration processes and functions; ability to design, develop and maintain interfaces and linkage to alternative platforms and software packages.
Software Product Design/Architecture: Knowledge of software product design; ability to convert market requirements into the software product design.
Software Product Technical Knowledge: Knowledge of technical aspects of a software products; ability to design, configure and integrate technical aspects of software products.
 

Considerations For Top Candidates:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science; Master’s Degree Preferred OR, equivalent practical experience in large-scale frontend development.

• Demonstrated experience leading software engineering projects.

• Expert experience developing customer facing applications using front-end frameworks, libraries (React preferred) and design patterns.

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, LaunchDarkly, and agile methodologies.

• Strong understanding of web performance, security,