Director Digital Architecture - Robotics

Caterpillar Inc.•Irving, TX

1d•$189,080 - $283,630•Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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.
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.
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.
Expert knowledge of leadership concepts and ability to use strategies and skills to enlist others in setting, embracing and achieving objectives.
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.
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)

Nice To Haves

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
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
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
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
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
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

Responsibilities

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