Embodied AI Robotics Engineer

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.

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.

Role Definition

We are building the next generation of intelligent robotic systems that combine advances in robotics, artificial intelligence, foundation models, perception, reasoning, and autonomous decision-making. Our mission is to create robots capable of understanding, learning, and operating effectively in complex real-world environments.

We are seeking exceptional engineers who thrive at the intersection of robotics and cutting-edge AI. This role is intentionally broad, enabling us to attract talent from robotics, machine learning, foundation models, embodied AI, autonomy, and related disciplines, with an emphasis on delivering production capabilities for physical machines.

Responsibilities

• As an Embodied AI Engineer, you will contribute to the design, development, testing, validation, and deployment of intelligent robotic systems. Working with experienced engineers and cross-functional teams, you will help develop capabilities across perception, planning, learning, reasoning, and controls while supporting the transition of research and emerging technologies into reliable production solutions for physical machines.
• Develop, test, and deploy AI and autonomy capabilities for robotic systems.
• Apply machine learning, computer vision, foundation models, and related technologies to solve engineering problems.
• Contribute to the integration of perception, planning, reasoning, and control capabilities.
• Design, implement, and test algorithms, models, and system components.
• Design and execute experiments, simulation scenarios, benchmarks, regression tests, and on-machine performance evaluations.
• Collaborate with software, hardware, infrastructure, research, validation, safety, and product teams to deliver production-quality solutions.
• Troubleshoot technical challenges across software, models, sensors, compute, and machine behavior, and support optimization for edge deployment.
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to engineering best practices.
• Support the deployment and maintenance of production-quality AI and robotics solutions.
• What You Will Have:
• Software Product Design/Architecture: Knowledge of software product design; ability to convert market requirements into the software product design.
• Artificial Intelligence: Knowledge of the concepts, technologies and methodologies of artificial intelligence (AI); ability to develop, implement and/or apply artificial intelligence products and services in specific industry domain to achieve business goals.
• Programming: Knowledge of relevant programming languages and tools; ability to test, write, design, debug, troubleshoot and maintain source codes and computer programs.
• Top Candidates Will Have:
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, AI, Machine Learning, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• Experience developing software, robotics, AI, or autonomous systems through industry, academic research, internships, or substantial project work.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals in Python, C++, or similar languages.
• Experience developing, integrating, and testing production-quality systems.
• Demonstrated ability to solve ambiguous technical problems, make sound engineering tradoffs, and collaborate effectively across teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Candidates may possess expertise in one or more of the following areas:
• Robotics: Experience with robotic systems, including ROS/ROS2, motion planning, SLAM/localization, manipulation, and controls.
• Foundation Models & AI: Expertise applying LLMs, vision-language and vision-language-action models (VLA), multimodal learning, and generative AI to robotic intelligence problems.
• Machine Learning: Strong background in deep learning, reinforcement learning, imitation learning, self-supervised learning, and representation learning
• Perception: Experience with computer vision, sensor fusion, object detection and tracking, and 3D scene understanding.
• Systems: Experience with distributed systems, AI infrastructure, large-scale training, edge deployment, and performance optimization.
• Additional Details:
• This position requires full-time, onsite work in our San Francisco office
• Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position.
• Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position currently
• Summary Pay Range:
• $107,280.00 - $174,330.00

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.

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.

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