Director Digital Architecture - Robotics

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.

This is Caterpillar

The Director, Digital Architecture – Robotics leads the team responsible for delivering the architectural capabilities that enable autonomous machines to safely, reliably, and efficiently operate in real-world environments. This leader defines the architecture, technical standards, and implementation patterns for robotics platforms, autonomy systems, controls, machine integration, and onboard computing, ensuring that intelligent decisions generated by AI and perception systems can be translated into effective machine actions. The role is accountable for advancing the organization’s autonomy roadmap through scalable architecture, rapid prototyping of emerging capabilities, and close partnership with engineering teams to accelerate development, reduce technical risk, and enable the deployment of next-generation autonomous and Physical AI solutions. Success in this role is measured by the organization’s ability to deliver robust, reusable, and production-ready autonomy capabilities that improve safety, productivity, and operational performance across autonomous machine platforms.

What You Will Do:

- Lead the rapid prototyping and evaluation of emerging autonomy, robotics, and Physical AI capabilities, partnering with engineering teams to validate new technologies, architectures, and concepts through proof-of-concepts, pilot programs, and experimental platforms that accelerate innovation and reduce technical risk
- Developing strategies, processes, methodologies and best practices for architecture activities
- Provide expert advice and resolve complex problems and issues involved in architecture activities
- Manage architecture projects, while focusing on the maintenance of customer relationships and various resources to ensure high-quality deliverables

What You Will Have (Required Skills):

- 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.
- 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 techniques to convert business requirements and logical models into a technical design.
- Effective Communications: Expert 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.
- Organizational Leadership: Expert knowledge of leadership concepts and ability to use strategies and skills to enlist others in setting, embracing and achieving objectives.
- 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.

Top Candidates Will Also Have (Preferred Skills):

- Robotics & Autonomous Systems Architecture: Deep experience designing architecture for autonomous machines, robotics platforms, and intelligent systems, including how perception, planning, controls, and machine systems work together to deliver safe and reliable autonomous operation
- Controls, Navigation & Machine Integration: Strong understanding of controls architecture, motion planning, navigation, vehicle systems, and machine integration, with the ability to translate autonomy requirements into practical solutions that operate effectively in real-world environments
- Edge Computing & Real-Time Systems: Experience designing onboard computing architectures that support real-time decision making, low-latency processing, high reliability, and integration of AI models, sensors, and control systems within autonomous machines
- Physical AI & Autonomy Platforms: Knowledge of modern Physical AI technologies, robotics frameworks, autonomy platforms, and the interaction between perception, simulation, AI models, and machine execution systems. Experience deploying autonomous capabilities in industrial, construction, mining, manufacturing, or similar environments is highly
- Architecture Leadership & Engineering Influence: Proven ability to lead complex technical initiatives, establish architectural standards and patterns, guide engineering teams through critical design decisions, and align multiple stakeholders around a common autonomy architecture vision
- Rapid Prototyping & Innovation Leadership: Demonstrated ability to quickly evaluate, prototype, and operationalize emerging technologies, translating new autonomy, robotics, AI, and Physical AI concepts into working solutions that prove business value, inform architectural direction, and accelerate adoption of next-generation capabilities
- Progressive career in software engineering and architecture with a focus on data (typically 12years+)
- Demonstratable experience leading technology development for enterprise scale systems in public cloud and hybrid eco-systems
- Team leadership, management and budget responsibility experience (typically 5+ years)

Additional Info: