Scientist II, Data - ART @ Progress Rail Services (Caterpillar)

Job Purpose

We are seeking a highly motivated and technically proficient Mid-Level DevOps Engineer with strong expertise in Python, AWS Cloud Infrastructure, and DevOps practices. This role focuses on cloud engineering and infrastructure automation responsibilities. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience designing, deploying, and supporting scalable cloud solutions.

The candidate will play a key role in automating infrastructure deployment, managing CI/CD pipelines, optimizing cloud environments, and ensuring the reliability, security, and performance of enterprise applications across multiple environments.

The ideal candidate is an experienced self-starter, strong attention to details, with excellent written and verbal skills. Enjoys working in a collaborative, fast-paced, environment and is willing to take on roles outside of comfort zone. Technical aptitude and being well versed in Machine Learning and Data Science tools and processes is a must. The role will work closely with the multiple engineering teams.

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

• Design, implement, and maintain CI/CD pipelines using industry-standard DevOps tools and best practices.
• Automate infrastructure provisioning and configuration management using Terraform and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles.
• Manage and support AWS cloud environments, including deployment automation, scalability, and operational excellence.
• Build, configure, and maintain cloud-native solutions across development, testing, staging, and production environments.
• Implement deployment strategies to ensure high availability, reliability, and security.
• Collaborate with development teams to streamline software delivery processes and improve release efficiency.
• Provision, manage, and optimize AWS services, including but not limited to: EC2,ECS,EKS,Lambda,S3,RDS/Aurora,DynamoDB,CloudFront,Route 53,API Gateway,IAM,CloudWatch,SNS/SQS,EventBridge,VPC, Security Groups, NACLs,AWS Backup and Disaster Recovery solutions.
• Implement AWS security best practices and cloud governance standards.
• Design scalable, cost-effective, and highly available cloud architectures.
• Monitor cloud resource utilization and recommend optimization opportunities.
• Monitor application and infrastructure health using cloud-native and third-party monitoring tools.
• Troubleshoot production incidents, application performance issues, deployment failures, and infrastructure-related problems.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement permanent corrective actions.
• Support application deployments and infrastructure changes across multiple environments.
• Maintain operational documentation, runbooks, and disaster recovery procedures.
• Participate in on-call support rotations as required.

Education / Training

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related technical field.
• Strong academic foundation in software development, algorithms, data structures, and cloud computing.

Qualifications and Experience

Required Technical Skills

Programming & Automation: Strong proficiency in Python development for automation, scripting, and infrastructure tooling.

DevOps & Automation: Strong understanding of DevOps methodologies and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Experience with Git, GitHub/GitLab, Jenkins, AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeBuild, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and CI/CD pipeline automation.

Cloud & AWS: Deep knowledge of AWS cloud architecture and services, including the design, deployment, and support of secure, scalable, and highly available cloud-native solutions. Strong expertise in IAM, VPCs, networking, monitoring, logging, security controls, disaster recovery, performance optimization, and cloud cost management.

Databases: Experience with PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, and NoSQL databases. Strong understanding of database design, query optimization, and data integration.

Preferred Qualifications

• AWS Certifications such as:
• AWS Solutions Architect Associate/Professional
• AWS DevOps Engineer Professional
• Knowledge of container orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes (EKS).
• Experience with enterprise-scale cloud migration and modernization initiatives.
• Familiarity with security frameworks, compliance requirements, and cloud governance best practices.

Soft Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Experience Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in AWS Cloud Infrastructure and DevOps Engineering.
• 3+ years of experience in Python development for automation and tooling.
• Proven experience supporting enterprise applications and cloud-native platforms in production environments.

Essential and Physical Activities Functions

• Strength – Position typically involves work in a standard office environment. Occasional standing and walking. Heavy lifting (up to 35 lbs) is rare but may be required;
• Motion – Position regularly requires standard repetitive motions and hand/eye coordination associated with office communications. May require bending, lifting, standing, climbing, kneeling, crouching, walking, etc.;
• Vision/Hearing Requirements – Significant verbal communications, including both talking and hearing;
• Work Environment – Work in temperature-controlled environment;
• Emotional Demands – Required to liaise with multiple levels within and outside the organization, including senior leaders and managers. Individual must be well-spoken, able to manage multiple priorities and individual requests on a daily basis, with a professional and supportive attitude;
• Safety – Position required to follow all safety guidelines and requirements.

EEO

Progress Rail is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities.