Senior Principal Software Engineer

Caterpillar Caterpillar · Industrial · Irving, TX

The Senior Digital Twin Fellow will lead the strategy, design, and implementation of high-fidelity digital twins for machines, job sites, and end-to-end workflows supporting automation and robotics. This role involves translating business and autonomy requirements into simulation solutions, architecting systems, and integrating simulations with real-time data sources, with a strong emphasis on NVIDIA Omniverse and robotics/automation frameworks.

What you'd actually do

  1. Work with senior management to define the long‑term vision, for simulation supporting automation and robotics.
  2. Partner with leadership to establish a multi‑year simulation and digital twin roadmap, supporting automation and robotics.
  3. Translate Business and autonomy requirements into simulation solutions. Identifying where simulations and digital twins can support robotics.
  4. Create detailed system level architecture deliverables in partnership with the chief architect and robotics team.
  5. Determine the technologies, platforms, and integration patterns required to support simulation capabilities.

Skills

Required

  • Strong expertise in system-level simulation and digital twin technologies
  • background in robotics
  • Knowledge of information architecture for simulation data
  • perception engineering
  • Deep expertise in NVIDIA Omniverse for building digital twins supporting robotics
  • Experience architecting or integrating modeling ecosystems with tools such as CARLA, Dynasty, Simulink/Modelica, AMESim, ANSYS, Adams, GT‑Suite, Unity/Unreal, or robotics/automation frameworks
  • Ability to evaluate emerging technologies and strategically recommend adoption paths for simulation and robotics
  • Deep understanding of simulation architecture, model governance, verification/validation practices, and integration of simulations with real-time data sources
  • Proven ability to work with senior management to establish vision, strategy, and multi-year roadmaps
  • Excellent communication skills for translating complex technical concepts into actionable business insights
  • 10+ years in simulation, robotics or autonomy

Nice to have

  • Background in construction, mining automation and robotics will be preferred
  • Master’s or PhD preferred

What the JD emphasized

  • deploying Omniverse-based digital twins strongly preferred

Other signals

  • digital twins
  • automation
  • robotics
  • simulation