Principal Perception Architect

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 overall end-to-end perception architecture and lead the Physical AI - Perception Architecture Team, ensuring perception capabilities are integrated, scalable, deployable, and safe for autonomous machine behavior. Primary Responsibilities: Define the end-to-end perception architecture across sensors, perception processing, ML, fusion, 3D mapping, validation, and safety. Own the perception roadmap, key architecture decisions, and system-level tradeoffs across accuracy, latency, compute, reliability, scalability, and safety. Ensure sensor processing, object detection, semantic understanding, fusion, tracking, 3D mapping, and safety work together as one system. Own perception-side alignment with Robotics, Edge Platform, Simulation, Machine Platform, Validation, and Safety teams. Ensure perception outputs are usable by downstream teams, deployable on edge platforms, replayable in simulation, and safe for machine behavior. Maintain perception architecture artifacts, including output contracts, interface standards, decision records, and technical risk assessments. Candidates Requirements Ability to take ownership of end-to-end perception architecture Strong autonomy systems thinking with ability to connect perception outputs to robotics, planning, control, simulation, edge runtime, machine platform interfaces, safety analysis, and field validation. Has experience with deployed autonomous, robotic, vehicle, industrial, agriculture, construction, mining, or mobile machine systems. Multi-sensor integration and fusion depth with strong understanding of camera, lidar, radar, stereo, ultrasonic, GNSS, localization inputs, and machine state data. Robotics-facing and edge-aware mindset: Validation, safety, Physical AI platform, and NVIDIA ecosystem familiarity: Perception Architecture Leadership & Engineering Execution: Progressive career in software engineering and architecture with a focus on data (typically 10 years+) Demonstratable experience leading technology development for enterprise scale systems in public cloud and hybrid eco-systems Team leadership (typically 8+ years) Understanding of C++, python programming experience 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 available for this position This position will require up to 25% domestic travel Summary Pay Range: $159,120.00 - $258,570.00 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 This position requires working onsite five days a week. Relocation is available for this position. Visa sponsorship is available for eligible applicants. 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 .