Autonomy Engineering Specialist - MineStar Onboard

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.
This role serves as the technical authority for MineStar Onboard, the software that runs on Caterpillar mining machines to deliver autonomy, productivity and safety capabilities at customer sites.
The Autonomy Engineering Specialist sits between Site Solutions, Site Systems and L6 Solutions, breaking site-level system designs down into the architectures and requirements that product teams deliver. Working in a highly collaborative SAFe environment, this role applies systems engineering, design and validation expertise to keep requirements, interfaces, geospatial data and secure communications aligned from site design through release.
What You Will Do:
Serve as the technical authority for MineStar Onboard, including its architecture, functionality, interfaces, performance, limitations and technical roadmap, and act as the go-to technical contact for Site Solutions, Site Systems, L6 Solutions and product teams.
Analyze L8 site systems designs and decompose them into Onboard system and subsystem architectures and requirements allocated to L6 solutions, so that L6 TPMs and their product teams can pick them up and deliver.
Define needs, write clear, testable requirements, and maintain traceability from site-level needs through L6 requirements to verification.
Lead design reviews and walkthroughs, evaluate architecture alternatives and trade-offs, and estimate the cost and effort of proposed designs.
Consult on the integration of MineStar Onboard with machine platforms, site infrastructure and other MineStar and third-party products, and define and manage the associated interfaces.
Define architectures and requirements for geospatial data and secure communications (e.g., VPN, MQTT) between machines, site infrastructure and cloud services.
Participate in test review and analysis, test witnessing, certification and release readiness for Onboard software, and support verification and validation planning against the intent of the L8 site systems design.
Evaluate and apply new technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve the capability of the Onboard portfolio.
Provide technical guidance to Site Solutions and Site Systems on feasibility, configuration and deployment, and support analysis of escalated issues from customer sites.
Perform trade studies and change-impact analysis as site designs, requirements or product plans evolve, and identify and drive mitigation of system-level risks.
Work with L6 TPMs and Product Owners in a SAFe agile environment to review, refine and prioritize allocated requirements.
Communicate requirements, technical risk, readiness and trade-offs to stakeholders, and document system architecture, design decisions, interface expectations and validation strategy.
What You Have:
Systems Engineering Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in systems engineering, or systems and software development, for complex, software-intensive systems, including developing, decomposing and managing requirements, interfaces and validation plans across multi-team or multi-product environments.
Software Product Design/Architecture: Experience with the architecture and design of major or multiple products; ability to convert customer and system requirements into practical system designs, facilitate design reviews and analyze architecture trade-offs.
Autonomy and Embedded Systems Knowledge: Working knowledge of autonomy, robotics or machine control systems and of embedded onboard software and systems (e.g., Linux-based platforms, machine networks and sensors) sufficient to act as technical authority for the product. Hands-on software development is not required.
Software Development Life Cycle: Knowledge of structured product development methods and experience working in an Agile environment.
Software Product Testing: Knowledge of verification and validation; ability to review test plans and results and confirm adherence to stated requirements.
Effective Communications: Ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly to varied audiences and to influence decisions across teams and levels of the organization through technical expertise.
Education Requirements: Degree in an accredited Engineering, Computer Science or Materials Science curriculum, or equivalent.
Consideration for Top Candidates:
Experience in autonomy, robotics or machine control and automation product development programs.
Experience with mining, heavy machinery or construction equipment, such as haul trucks, loaders, dozers or motor graders, or supporting customer-site deployments and commissioning.
Experience with model-based systems engineering (e.g., SysML) and requirements management tools.
Working knowledge of artificial intelligence applied to autonomy or industrial domains.
Experience or working knowledge of GIS, including site maps, geospatial data and positioning, as applied to mine sites or similar environments.
Knowledge of functional safety and safety-critical system design.
Experience with GPS positioning, wireless networks, TCP/IP, UDP/IP, CAN/J1939 and real-time operating systems.
Experience or working knowledge of secure communications for distributed systems (e.g., VPN, MQTT, TLS and network security practices).
Interest in developing scripts or tools (e.g., Python) to automate analysis, requirements or traceability work for yourself or for the organization.
Systems engineering certification (e.g., INCOSE CSEP) or professional engineering registration.
Proven ability to mentor or influence engineers and communicate complex technical concepts in clear, actionable terms.
Additional Information:
This position requires the candidate to work full-time in Irving, TX.
Relocation assistance is available for this position
Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position
This position will require 25-50% travel - heavier in the first year.
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Summary Pay Range:
$128,470.00 - $208,770.00
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 not available for this position.
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