Physical AI Autonomy Segment Portfolio Manager

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.

Role Summary

The Segment Portfolio Manager turns forthcoming Physical AI & Autonomy initiatives into launch-ready programs. Before an initiative launches, this role is the connective tissue across Product Management, Commercial, and Technical Program Management: aligning priority, scope, timing, value, and resources, framing an executable plan, and bringing the right stakeholders and approval authority together for a clear launch decision. The role reports to the Senior Manager, Portfolio Management.

What You Will Do

• Act as the connective tissue for initiatives that are not yet launched, aligning Product Management, Commercial, and Technical Program Managers on priority, scope, timing, value, and resources.

• Take accepted initiatives from the intake process once engineering assessment is under way and maintain a clear, current view of what each initiative needs before it can launch.

• Work with Technical Program Managers to shape Epic-level engineering requirements and solution options, including platform reuse versus new-build choices.

• Partner with the Senior Release Train Engineer to frame the plan: decompose Epics into Features, assess capacity, and identify internal, supplier, partner, and customer dependencies.

• Assemble the launch decision package, including value, customer evidence, scope, framed plan, capacity, dependencies, risks, and open decisions, and convene the stakeholder audience and approval authority through the Gateway readiness and Technical Review Board path.

• Record the launch decision, conditions, and baseline; stand up Objectives and Milestones; and hand execution to the Release Train Engineers.

• For new autonomy initiatives, govern launched programs at portfolio level: Objectives, Milestones, roadmap, RAID, decisions, dependencies, and reporting.

• Maintain the pre-launch pipeline view and provide prioritization, sequencing, and start-stop-continue-defer inputs where initiatives compete for funding, capacity, or timing.

• Surface misalignment, missing evidence, and unresolved decisions early, and escalate material tradeoffs with clear options and consequences.

• Apply the common portfolio operating model, Ways of Working, and reporting standards so launched programs enter execution on the same definitions as the rest of the portfolio.

• Contribute to improving the launch-readiness workflow and package based on what each launch teaches.

What You Will Have

Planning: Tactical and Strategic: Knowledge of planning techniques and the ability to connect initiative scope, sequencing, resources, dependencies, and business objectives into an executable launch plan.

Program and Portfolio Management: Knowledge of practices used to shape, sequence, launch, and govern multiple complex digital programs and interdependent workstreams.

Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Ability to evaluate incomplete or conflicting information, frame options and consequences, and bring stakeholders to timely, evidence-based decisions.

Organizational Leadership: Ability to align diverse functions, clarify ownership, and influence across organizational boundaries without direct authority.

Change Control: Knowledge of processes used to evaluate, approve, document, and communicate changes to scope, timing, resources, and commitments.

Project Control and Reporting: Ability to integrate value, scope, capacity, risk, dependency, and financial information into concise, decision-ready material for senior leaders.

Top Candidates Will Have

• Experience taking new programs, products, or NPI initiatives from concept through launch approval across Product, Commercial, and Engineering functions.

• Demonstrated ability to align stakeholders with competing priorities on scope, timing, value, and resources before funding or execution begins.

• Experience building launch, business-case, or gate-review packages that led to a recorded go, no-go, or conditional decision.

• Experience framing integrated plans with engineering and delivery leaders, including capacity, dependencies, and supplier or partner constraints.

• Exposure to autonomy, robotics, AI, connected-machine, or complex hardware-software programs is a plus.

• Working knowledge of Azure DevOps, Power BI, or comparable portfolio and work-management tools.

• Strong written and verbal communication, sound judgment, and the ability to simplify complex cross-functional issues into clear options and recommendations.

Additional Details

• Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position.

• This position requires the candidate to be based in Dallas, TX.

• Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position.

Summary Pay Range:

$147,760.00 - $221,640.00

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.

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Medical, dental, and vision benefits*

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Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*

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401(k) savings plans*

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Health Savings Account (HSA)*

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Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*