Jobs › Caterpillar

Control Systems Senior Engineer

Caterpillar · Mossville, IL · $112,710–$169,060 a year · Full time

Posted Oct 2, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

Apply at Caterpillar

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you worked on a safety-critical feature. How did functional safety shape your decisions?

What they are checking: Real experience with safety standards and the discipline they bring to design, testing and documentation.

Describe a time you integrated a system across hardware and software teams that didn't agree on where a problem was.

What they are checking: System integration and conflict resolution skills, since integration issues often fall between teams.

What would you do

During machine testing the system stops for a shadow that isn't an obstacle. What do you do next?

What they are checking: Their debugging path from field behavior back to sensors, algorithms and requirements.

Product management wants a feature released for a launch date, but validation is not complete. How do you handle that conversation?

What they are checking: Whether they hold the line on safety validation while still offering practical options to the program.

About the work

How would you write system requirements for a collision mitigation feature on a construction machine so they're specific and testable?

What they are checking: Requirements skill for a safety feature, where vague requirements lead directly to missed hazards or false stops.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of camera and radar for detecting people and objects around heavy equipment?

What they are checking: Understanding of sensor tradeoffs like range, weather, dust and classification that drive system design.

How do you balance false alarms against missed detections in a collision mitigation system?

What they are checking: Judgment about a core tradeoff, since too many false stops make operators disable the system entirely.

Walk me through how you'd decompose a system requirement into software features with a development team.

What they are checking: Their ability to work with software engineers to break requirements into buildable pieces, as the posting describes.

How do you build a system-level test plan that covers functionality, performance and safety for a feature like this?

What they are checking: Test planning depth across all three dimensions the posting names, not just happy-path checks.

What's your experience with HIL testing, and what can it catch that machine-level testing can't, and the reverse?

What they are checking: Practical knowledge of HIL and machine testing and when each gives real confidence.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Caterpillar from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Caterpillar.

Career Area: Engineering 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. As part of a growing engineering team, you will help develop next-generation collision mitigation technologies for Caterpillar construction products. You will design and deliver software solutions that integrate camera, radar, and intelligent sensing technologies to enhance machine safety, performance, and automation capabilities. What You Will Do: • Define and manage system requirements for collision mitigation features, ensuring alignment between product needs and technical solutions. • Collaborate with software engineering teams to decompose requirements into implementable features and support development throughout the product lifecycle. • Develop system-level test plans and execute validation activities to verify functionality, performance, and safety requirements. • Conduct system integration, machine-level testing, and HIL (Hardware-in-the-Loop) validation to ensure successful deployment of new capabilities. • Partner with product groups and cross-functional engineering teams to evaluate requirements, resolve technical issues, and drive feature delivery. • Analyze test results, identify gaps or defects, and support root cause investigations to improve system performance and reliability. • Support the integration and validation of camera, radar, and sensor-based technologies used in next-generation collision mitigation systems. What You Will Have: • Requirements Analysis: Knowledge of tools, methods, and techniques of requirement analysis; ability to elicit, analyze and record required business functionality and non-functionality requirements to ensure the success of a system or software development project. • Product Testing: Knowledge of product testing approaches, techniques and tools; ability to design, plan and execute testing strategies and tactics to ensure product quality at all stages of manufacturing. • Technical Troubleshooting: Knowledge of technical troubleshooting approaches, tools and techniques; ability to anticipate, recognize, and resolve technical issues on hardware, software, application or operation. • Communicating Complex Concepts: Knowledge of effective presentation tools and techniques to ensure clear understanding; ability to use summarization and simplification techniques to explain complex technical concepts in simple, clear language appropriate to the audience. • Embedded Systems: Knowledge of embedded systems and their applications; ability to develop embedded systems with varying levels of complexity to control the operations of the machine it is embedded within. Considerations For Top Candidates: • Experience developing and managing system requirements, specifications, and requirements traceability for complex embedded or autonomous systems. • Hands-on experience with system integration, validation, and verification activities, including HIL (Hardware-in-the-Loop) and machine-level testing. • Strong understanding of vehicle, machine, or control system architectures with the ability to translate customer and product requirements into technical solutions. • Experience working in cross-functional development environments with exposure to ROS/ROS2, Python scripting, and software development lifecycle processes. Additional Information: • This position requires the candidate to work full-time at the Irving, TX or Mossville, IL office. • Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position. • Visa sponsorship is available with this position. • This position will require up to 10% travel • #LI Summary Pay Range: $112,710.00 - $169,060.00 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 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 .

Apply at Caterpillar