Senior Data Scientist

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.

The Strategic Procurement and Planning Division (SPPD) is seeking a Senior Data Scientist to join the AI Mission Team, partnering with enterprise AI Accelerator teams and business leaders to deliver next-generation AI-enabled solutions. This role is responsible for transforming high-priority supply chain, procurement, and planning challenges into scalable AI prototypes, agentic workflows, and production-ready solution patterns.

You will design and implement solutions leveraging machine learning, large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and workflow automation, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture, governance, and security standards. This position blends deep technical expertise with strong business partnership to accelerate digital transformation and operational efficiency.

The ideal candidate brings hands-on experience in AI application development, Python, APIs, data integration, and responsible AI practices, along with the ability to prototype rapidly and scale solutions globally.

What you will do:

AI Solution Development

Design, prototype, build, test, and deploy AI-enabled applications and internal tools using Python, Streamlit, APIs, and modern AI frameworks

Deliver scalable AI/ML solutions that solve complex business problems across procurement, planning, and supply chain

Agentic AI & Workflow Automation

Develop agent-based workflows, tool integrations, and human-in-the-loop processes

Automate operational decision-making workflows to drive efficiency and scalability

Data Management & RAG Systems

Implement RAG, GraphRAG, embeddings, vector databases, and knowledge graph solutions

Enable AI applications to retrieve and reason over trusted enterprise data sources

Governance, Evaluation & Responsible AI

Apply AI governance practices including model evaluation, prompt/version tracking, PII masking, guardrails, and cost monitoring

Ensure compliance with enterprise data security, privacy, and risk management standards

Data Engineering & Analytics Enablement

Design and automate pipelines for structured and unstructured data from enterprise and legacy systems

Support scalable data ingestion, transformation, and integration frameworks

Business Partnership & Requirements Analysis

Partner with product owners, SMEs, and digital teams to translate business problems into AI/ML prototypes and scalable solutions

Define success criteria, KPIs, and measurable outcomes for AI initiatives

What skills you have:

Programming Languages: Knowledge of programming concepts and software development practices; ability to write, test, and maintain code in Python and integrate with APIs, databases, and enterprise platforms. Builds and deploys AI-enabled applications, automation workflows, and agent-based solutions, integrating large language models (LLMs), vector databases, and enterprise systems while ensuring secure data handling and scalable architecture.

Requirements Analysis: Knowledge of tools, methods, and techniques for eliciting, analyzing, and documenting business and technical requirements for successful solution delivery. Translates business problems into AI/ML use cases, prototypes, and scalable solution patterns, defining measurable success criteria and aligning outputs to enterprise strategy and operational outcomes.

Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine root cause, evaluate alternatives, and recommend practical solutions. Applies structured problem-solving to design and evaluate AI-driven approaches (e.g., automation, LLM-based solutions, agentic workflows) and determine the most effective and scalable path forward.

Business Statistics: Knowledge of statistical tools, processes, and practices to describe business results in measurable scales; ability to use statistical methods to support business decisions. Supports model validation, experimentation, and performance evaluation, ensuring AI/ML outputs are reliable, measurable, and aligned to business KPIs.

Machine Learning: Knowledge of machine learning principles, algorithms, and evaluation methods; ability to develop, implement, and improve AI/ML-enabled solutions. Designs and delivers solutions using advanced machine learning, large language models (LLMs), retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), embeddings, and model evaluation techniques, incorporating responsible AI practices such as bias awareness, model monitoring, guardrails, and performance optimization.

Top candidates will also have:

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field

Advanced degrees preferred with focus on AI, machine learning, or applied data science disciplines

Experience with agentic AI frameworks, tool-using LLMs, and orchestration platforms

Proven experience building AI-powered internal tools or full-stack applications (e.g., FastAPI, Streamlit, modern web frameworks, containers)

Hands-on experience with RAG, GraphRAG, embeddings, vector databases, semantic search, or knowledge graph solutions

Experience integrating legacy enterprise systems with modern data platforms and APIs

Experience implementing AI governance practices, including model evaluation, prompt/version tracking, PII masking, guardrails, and cost monitoring

Demonstrated ability to automate business processes and improve operational workflows using AI and data

Background in supply chain, procurement, manufacturing, or enterprise operations analytics

Additional Details:

Work Location: This role is based in Mossville, IL and requires on-site work five days a week.

Relocation Assistance: Relocation assistance is not available.

Work Authorization: Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Travel Requirements: Up to 5% travel may be required.

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

This position requires working onsite five days a week.

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Posting Dates:

July 24, 2026 - July 30, 2026

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.

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