Principal Architect IT - Product Engineering

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.
Role Summary
The Principal Architect for Product Engineering is a senior technical leadership role responsible for defining the architectural strategy that connects product engineering systems with modern manufacturing platforms across a globally distributed enterprise.
This role establishes the digital engineering foundation required to enable the digital thread from design to production, ensuring product engineering platforms seamlessly integrate with manufacturing execution systems, quality systems, supply chain and digital manufacturing platforms.
The role partners closely with engineering, manufacturing, and IT leadership to modernize legacy engineering ecosystems and enable model-based engineering, digital twins, AI-enabled engineering workflows, and advanced simulation environments. The mission is to accelerate the journey to data driven, digitally integrated and increasingly autonomous manufacturing operations.
Key Responsibilities
Product Engineering Architecture Leadership

• Define the enterprise architecture strategy for product engineering platforms including PLM, CAD, simulation, and engineering data ecosystems.
• Establish architecture patterns supporting digital engineering and model-based development.
• Lead modernization or legacy engineering technology environments

Digital Thread Enablement

• Architect end-to-end digital thread connecting product design, manufacturing, and lifecycle management
• Enable seamless integration between PLM, ERP, MES, quality systems, and digital manufacturing platforms
• Define standards supporting configuration management, engineering change management, and traceability

Modern Manufacturing Integration

• Architect patterns enabling engineering-to-manufacturing data flow across global manufacturing operations
• Enable connectivity between engineering platforms and MES, industrial IoT, factory automation systems, and quality and inspection platforms

Advanced Engineering and Simulation Ecosystems: Enable platforms supporting engineering simulation environments, AI-assisted design and optimization, generative engineering workflows and digital twin ecosystems
Platform and Integration Strategy: Define event driven integration, API-first engineering ecosystems, and engineering data interoperability to architect scalable solutions for global engineering collaboration and product development.
Cross-functional Partnership: Partner across the enterprise with key stakeholders and translate the product engineering strategy into technology roadmaps and architectural blueprints.
Architecture Standards and Governance: Provide architecture governance and guidance across engineering initiatives.
Required Experience

• Experience in enterprise architecture, engineering platforms, or digital engineering environments.
• Deep experience with product engineering ecosystems in industrial manufacturing
• Demonstrated experience architecting PLM and engineering platform integrations
• Strong understanding of engineering-to-manufacturing digital workflows
• Expertise in integration architecture and enterprise platform design

Preferred Experience

• Qualification in Architectural Framework e.g. TOGAF
• Experience with leading PLM platforms including Siemens Teamcenter, PTC Windchill, Dassault 3DEXPERIENCE.
• Experience integrating PLM with ERPs, MES, digital manufacturing systems
• Understanding of model-based systems engineering (MBSE)
• Enabled digital twins and simulation environments
• Exposure to AI-enabled engineering platforms or generative design
• Experience supporting large-scale manufacturing organizations
• Direct Leadership Experience would be beneficial

Summary Pay Range:
$159,120.00 - $238,680.00
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:
April 20, 2026 - May 3, 2026
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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