Big Machines Require Big Digital Solutions: Why I Came to Caterpillar (and Why You Should, Too)

A little less than a year ago, I joined Caterpillar as Vice President of Cat Digital. When I told friends, family, and colleagues about this career move, I saw more than a few raised eyebrows. My network—especially my peers in the auto industry—knows me as someone passionate about driverless and other new modes of mobility, and using connectivity and technology to improve the consumer experience in vehicles. And now I was joining a company known for moving dirt.

That statement is, of course, tongue in cheek. Caterpillar is a world-renowned brand with a nearly 100-year history of building the machines and equipment that build our modern world. Whether it's accessing natural resources, building new homes and office buildings, or generating back-up power for hospitals and schools, Cat® products have a meaningful impact on all our lives.

But as impressive as Caterpillar’s heritage is, I joined because of the company’s future and the opportunity to shape the digital solutions that will enable our customers to build our world in a safer, faster, and better way.

Across Caterpillar, we’re using digital technology to tackle big problems. We’re giving advanced visibility into the health of mining trucks running deep underground; we’re helping small business owners find rental equipment at the click of the button; and we’re generating innovative solutions from millions of data points and hundreds of thousands of connected assets.

This year, we expect the number of connected Cat assets to approach one million. As our digital footprint grows, we must grow our team to keep up with the opportunities. If you’re interested in latest cellular or satellite technologies, cloud and at scale services, AI and machine learning, or iOS and Android user experience, we have a place for you. At Cat Digital, we’re using the best tools and technology to solve real world problems. Big machines require big thinking, which is a great challenge to have.

If you want to learn more about Cat Digital, I encourage you to check out our LinkedIn page to stay informed about our many career opportunities. And next time you see a Cat machine, I hope you’ll get the same spark of excitement that I do thinking about how Cat Digital solutions are helping to keep the operators safe and ensure the fleets to do their jobs with peak reliability and efficiency.

Moving dirt has never been so exciting.