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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Principal Digital Architect - Onboard & Site Data - **Company:** Caterpillar - **Location:** Irving, TX, United States - **Salary:** $147,760.0 - $240,110.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Training Data, Artificial Intelligence, Databases, Data Architecture, Information Engineering, Data Infrastructure, Dataspaces, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Metadata, Operational Data Store, Software Engineering, Management of Software Versions, Digital Twin, Feature Engineering, Model Validation, Data Pipelines, Programming Languages - **Published:** September 24, 2026 - **Apply:** https://dejobs.org/x/x/69DD88EC5C304C338107B319D8B31152/job/ ## About the Role * Data Architecture: Knowledge of processes, techniques and factors that affect data architecture; ability to design blueprints on how to integrate data resources for business processes and functional support. * Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems. * 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. * Target Architecture: Knowledge of target architecture; ability to develop the IT blueprint and roadmap while aligning the architecture and processes with business strategies and objectives roadmap while aligning the architecture and processes with business strategies and objectives Top Candidates Will Have: * Data Architecture & Domain Modeling -- Demonstrated ability to define enterprise data domains, canonical data models, data contracts, metadata strategies, and scalable architectures that support complex AI and autonomy ecosystems. * AI & Machine Learning Data Foundations -- Understanding of the data requirements for AI model development, including training data, fine-tuning datasets, feature engineering, vector data, model evaluation data, synthetic data, and data pipelines that support the AI lifecycle. * Physical AI & Industrial Data Ecosystems -- Knowledge of machine telemetry, sensor data, digital twins, simulation data, edge-to-cloud architectures, and the unique challenges associated with autonomous systems and real-world operational data. * Strategic Architecture Leadership -- Ability to influence senior leaders, define architectural roadmaps, establish standards and patterns, govern technology decisions, and provide technical direction across multiple engineering organizations without direct authority. * Progressive career in software engineering and architecture with a focus on data (typically 10years+) * Excellent communication skills and be able to deal with sensitive issues, mentor and coach and/or persuade others on new technologies, new applications, or potential solutions. ## Description The Principal Digital Architect for Onboard & Site Data is responsible for defining the data architecture that enables Physical AI and autonomous systems to learn, reason, and operate at scale. This role defines the data contracts that enable reliable information flow from machine and site systems into enterprise ingestion platforms. This role establishes standards for data exchange, schemas, naming conventions, metadata, and interface requirements. Working closely with perception architects, data engineering, and platform teams. Bottom line, you are creating the data foundation that enables AI innovation at scale. What You Will Do: * Developing detailed architecture deliverables to solve business problems. * Designing an application's technical infrastructure, such as specific databases, programming languages, utilities, and testing approaches. * Leading the evaluation and deployment of new technologies to add or enhance existing digital technical capabilities. * Participating in addressing business requirements for applications and collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver digital solutions that meets business results. * Define contracts between sensor information and ingestion. * Standardize schemas, semantics, timestamps, units, identity, and metadata. * Specify quality, completeness, latency, and versioning expectations. ## Related Videos - [Harnessing the Power of Open Source's Newest Technologies](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1448-harnessing-the-power-of-open-source-s-newest-technologies) - [Kubernetes and Microservices with Multi-Model Databases](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/382-kubernetes-and-microservices-with-multi-model-databases) - [A Data Mesh needs Open Metadata](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/505-a-data-mesh-needs-open-metadata) - [Blueprints for Success: Steering a Global Data & AI Architecture](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1577-blueprints-for-success-steering-a-global-data-ai-architecture) - [Data: The Deciding Factor in AI Success](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100310-data-the-deciding-factor-in-ai-success) - [Fault Tolerance and Consistency at Scale: Harnessing the Power of Distributed SQL Databases](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1146-fault-tolerance-and-consistency-at-scale-harnessing-the-power-of-distributed-sql-databases) ## Related Articles - [How to Become an AI Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/331-how-to-become-an-ai-engineer) - [What Industries Outside of AI Are Hiring The Most AI Experts?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/98-what-industries-outside-of-ai-are-hiring-the-most-ai-experts) - [Graph and AI Trends 2026: Why Is AI Running but Not Yet Delivering?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/680-graph-and-ai-trends-2026-why-is-ai-running-but-not-yet-delivering) - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [How software is steering vehicle technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/515-how-software-is-steering-vehicle-technology) - [Stephan Gillich - Bringing AI Everywhere](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/489-stephan-gillich-bringing-ai-everywhere)