Principal IT Architect - Manufacturing and Quality

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 Principal IT Enterprise Architect for Manufacturing & Quality is a senior technology and enterprise leadership role responsible for shaping the strategic direction of global manufacturing and quality systems across the organization. This position serves as a key advisor to senior business and technology leaders, driving enterprise-wide digital manufacturing initiatives and long-term technology modernization strategies, enabling AI Driven operations and the next generation of manufacturing innovation.

This role provides influential leadership across manufacturing architecture, smart factory transformation, AI enablement, digital twin simulation, enterprise integration, Industrial IoT, advanced analytics, and quality systems while ensuring alignment with overall business objectives, operational excellence, scalability, and future manufacturing innovation.

The Principal Architect will influence enterprise technology decisions across global manufacturing operations and play a critical role in advancing connected, intelligent, and data-driven manufacturing capabilities.

What You Will Do:

Enterprise & Strategic Leadership

* Serve as the senior architecture leader for manufacturing and quality technology domains

* Partner with executive leadership, enterprise process owners, plant operations, supply chain, engineering, and digital teams to influence and align technology strategy with business priorities

* Drive enterprise-wide manufacturing technology vision and roadmap development

* Lead strategic decision-making for modernization and transformation initiatives across global manufacturing operations including supporting business case creation

* Influence organizational standards, governance models, and enterprise architecture direction

Global Manufacturing and Quality Transformation

* Lead architecture strategy for smart factory and Industry 4.0 initiatives

* Guide modernization of manufacturing systems, platforms, and integration strategies

* Enable scalable digital capabilities through Industrial IoT, automation, analytics, AI, Digital Twins and connected platforms

* Support enterprise adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies and predictive quality solutions

* Promote simplification, standardization, and interoperability across manufacturing technology ecosystems

Technology Architecture & Integration

* Define future-state architecture and capabilities for modern Manufacturing platforms, including AI first thinking, advanced analytics, MES, Industrial IoT, quality systems, and manufacturing data platforms

* Lead manufacturing and quality integration architecture and scalable platform strategies

* Ensure alignment between manufacturing systems, enterprise platforms, and business processes

* Drive adoption of modern architecture practices including composable and event-driven architecture, through appropriately hosted solutions (edge, cloud, hybrid)

Technical Leadership & Governance

* Provide technical leadership and mentorship across architecture and engineering teams

* Establish enterprise reference architecture, standards and patterns for accelerated value

* Evaluate emerging technologies and provide strategic recommendations to senior leadership

* Lead cross-functional collaboration across global business and technology organizations

What You Have:

* Extensive experience as an Enterprise Architect

* Extensive experience in manufacturing systems architecture, or digital manufacturing leadership roles

* Strong Manufacturing and Quality process knowledge

* Demonstrated ability to influence senior leadership, financial acumen and drive enterprise-wide strategic initiatives

* Strong communication, stakeholder management, and organizational leadership skills

* Proven experience leading large-scale enterprise technology transformation initiatives

* Strong background supporting global manufacturing operations and plant technologies

* Expertise in MES, integration, Industrial IoT, manufacturing analytics, and enterprise integration architecture

Top Candidates Will Also Have:

* TOGAF or comparable enterprise architecture certification

* Experience leading smart factory or Industry 4.0 transformation programs

* Knowledge of digital twins, advanced analytics, AI-driven manufacturing operations, and predictive quality systems

* Experience with in large global manufacturing organizations

* Experience with Product and Project led organizations

* Prior experience leading enterprise architecture teams or technical…