Software Engineer, Advanced Rail Technology

Job Purpose

All candidates should make sure to read the following job description and information carefully before applying.

Progress Rail is seeking an experienced Software Engineer to support software development and deployment for the Autonomous Train Operation team in Fort Worth, TX.
The purpose of this position is to contribute to the design, development and deployment of world-class rail products and services vital to our customer’s needs. This role will enable innovative, strategic, and high-tech solutions for the rail industry through the application of specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. Work involves independent judgement, problem solving skills, resourcefulness, teamwork, and creativity in ambiguous situations.

A high degree of personal initiative is a prerequisite. Typical software development efforts are a combination of some or all of the key job elements listed below. Management and leadership are available to provide additional guidance for unusual, non-standard situations.
The ideal candidate is a self-starter, willing to take on different tasks to facilitate the design, implementation, and testing of the prototypes and deployment systems. The Software Engineer will be responsible for software development in a fast-paced software engineering environment. An essential attribute is the ability to function extremely well as a team member, at times conceding personal preferred solutions to those that make business, functional and strategic sense.
This is a full-time position working in the Progress Rail Fort Worth, TX and reports directly to the Director of Artificial Intelligence in the ATO team.

Req

11562

City

Southlake

Company Description

Progress Rail stands at the intersection of legacy and innovation—driving the future of rail with a pioneering spirit. Since its founding in 1983, the company has grown to become one of the world’s largest and most trusted providers of railroad products, services, and technologies. Today, Progress Rail delivers a comprehensive portfolio of cost-effective solutions to railway customers around the globe. From the rails themselves to the EMD® locomotives that ride them, the company’s products are in operation across more than 100 countries—powering progress and connecting communities.

In 2006, Progress Rail joined Caterpillar Inc., further strengthening its ability to lead the rail industry with cutting-edge technology, unmatched expertise, and a commitment to excellence. At Progress Rail, the team is not just building the future of rail—they are making history every day.

Key Job Elements

• Lead the design and implementation of assigned software components, primarily using the Rust programming language.

• Design and support the deployment of railway systems operating in the United States and internationally, with up to 10% travel required.

• Collaborate with the team to develop solutions for significant and complex technical challenges within control systems.

• Partner with cross-functional teams to shape the platform’s architectural vision, define the roadmap for future evolution, and work directly with engineers to ensure successful implementation.

• Evaluate and determine the value of emerging technologies.

• Mentor, train, and provide guidance to team members.

• Utilize CI/CD pipelines to build, test, and deploy applications.

• Create new programming documentation and update existing documentation as needed.

• Report to the Director of Artificial Intelligence and work closely with engineering teams to deploy practical, high-performance systems for railway applications.

Education / Training

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science/engineering, software engineering, from an ABET accredited university or college.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in computer science, Computer Engineering, or a related field.

• Familiarity with machine learning or AI model deployment workflows.

• Prior experience in rail, transportation, or other heavy industry sectors is a strong plus.

Qualifications and Experience

Core Experience

• 5+ years of professional software development experience in production environments.

• 3+ years of hands-on Rust experience (preferred)…