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Senior Autonomy Engineer

Caterpillar · Mossville, IL · $112,710–$183,140 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 30, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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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 bug that crossed software and hardware. How did you find it?

What they are checking: Whether they troubleshoot across boundaries instead of blaming the other side.

Tell me about a time you worked closely with a test or validation team.

What they are checking: Whether they value test feedback and collaborate to improve the product.

What would you do

A collision warning triggers too often and operators start ignoring it. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they understand false alarms as a safety problem and balance sensitivity with trust.

A hardware supplier's component doesn't meet the timing your software needs. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they work through supplier issues with data and practical options.

About the work

You'd work on machine collision mitigation and avoidance. How would you design a camera and radar processing pipeline in C++ on embedded Linux?

What they are checking: Whether they understand real-time data flow, latency and resource limits on embedded systems.

How do you fuse camera and radar data, and what are the weaknesses of each sensor?

What they are checking: Whether they know sensor tradeoffs in dust, weather and lighting on job sites.

Walk me through how you install and calibrate perception sensors on a large machine.

What they are checking: Whether they have hands-on experience making sensors accurate on real equipment.

How do you write software and system requirements that a supplier and your test team can both use?

What they are checking: Whether they write clear, testable requirements and interface specs.

How would you take a feature from bench testing to proving ground testing?

What they are checking: Whether they plan validation stages that build confidence before field use.

How do you make architecture tradeoffs between sensing, compute and cost?

What they are checking: Whether they can weigh performance against real product constraints.

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The full job description

As published by Caterpillar.

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 Senior Autonomy Development Engineer position is with the Integrated Technology Solutions division of Cat Technology. This is a development role working with machine collision mitigation and avoidance systems. You'll be defining software and system requirements to develop new features, installing and calibrating perception sensors on machines, interacting with hardware component and supplier teams, troubleshooting issues across software and hardware, and coordinating validation from the bench through proving ground testing. What You Will Do: • Participating in design and development of application software in C++ on embedded Linux, including camera and radar processing pipelines. • Defining and managing software and system requirements, interface specifications, and architecture tradeoffs across sensing, compute, and machine integration. • Installing, commissioning, and calibrating cameras, radar, compute, and data acquisition hardware on machines; planning and executing data collection at proving grounds and customer sites. • Building and operating HIL benches and developing automated validation tooling in Python to turn collected data into repeatable pass/fail results. • Documenting architecture specifications, software design descriptions, verification plans, test cases, operating procedures, and safety procedures. • Utilizing appropriate tools to debug, test, and maintain software and hardware systems; leading the verification and validation process and applying functional safety (FuSa) and SOTIF practices. • Providing technical direction and mentorship to junior engineers, and coordinating with hardware components, suppliers, and testing teams. What You Will Have: • Programming: Knowledge of relevant programming languages and tools; ability to test, write, design, debug, troubleshoot and maintain source codes and computer programs using C++ and Python. • Software Development Life Cycle: Knowledge of software development life cycle; ability to use a structured methodology for delivering and managing new or enhanced software products to the marketplace. • Software Product Testing : Knowledge of software product testing; ability to design, plan, and execute testing strategies and tactics to ensure software product quality and adherence to stated requirements. • Requirements Analysis: Knowledge of requirements elicitation and specification; ability to define, document, and manage system and software requirements and their associated interfaces. • Technical Troubleshooting: Knowledge of diagnostic approaches, tools, and instrumentation; ability to isolate a fault across electrical, sensor, network, embedded, and machine domains. • Problem Solving : Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations. • Effective Communications: Knowledge of effective verbal, written, and documentation practices; ability to convey technical status and risk to cross-functional and global teams. Considerations For Top Candidates: • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field from an accredited institution. • 5+ years in embedded, machine, autonomy, ADAS, or robotics systems, including hands-on hardware integration and validation. • Experience with radar and camera data processing, perception, computer vision, or machine learning. • Embedded datalinks (CAN, Ethernet) and CAN diagnostics tools (CANoe, CANalyzer, CANape, ETAS INCA). • NVIDIA toolset (CUDA, TensorRT, Jetson/Thor ecosystem) and GPU-accelerated pipelines. • Familiarity with functional safety standards (ISO 13849, ISO 25119, IEC 61508, ISO 21448). • Sensor calibration, ISO compliance, and VR analysis experience. • Test frameworks (GTest), HIL/SIL environments, robotics middleware, MATLAB/Simulink. • Machine operation and application knowledge; ability to interpret electrical schematics. Additional Information: • This position requires the candidate to work full-time at the Mossville IL office. • Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position. • Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position. • This position will require up to 25% travel • #LI Summary Pay Range: $112,710.00 - $183,140.00 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 .

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