Progress Rail, A Caterpillar Company ยท 2 days ago
AI Intern, Advanced Rail Technology
La Grange
Internship
Onsite
Intern
$22.16/hr - $36.90/hrProgress Rail, a Caterpillar Company, is focused on driving the future of rail technology. As an AI Intern on the ART team, you will design and prototype AI strategies to improve rail logistics through collaboration with various teams and the integration of large language models and optimization tools.
Machinery ManufacturingManufacturingRecycling
Responsibilities
Prototype LLM-enabled workflows: Build agents, prompts, and tool-use policies that let LLMs interpret timetables, work orders, speed restrictions, and plan alternatives, then suggest actions aligned with operating constraints
Integrate with optimization & decision tools: Connect LLM pipelines to solvers, simulators, and rules engines (e.g., scheduling/dispatch optimization, what if simulators) and validate that recommendations respect operational and safety rules
Engineering hygiene: Package prototypes as services/notebooks with versioned prompts, config, and unit tests; document assumptions, data contracts, and model/solver interfaces
Collaboration: Work with software, optimization, and R&D partners to iterate quickly on requirements; demo progress to stakeholders and capture feedback for the next sprint
Compliance & safety: Apply data privacy, access controls, and safety guardrails; follow MLOps and software best practices for deployment-readiness in an industrial environment
Qualification
Required
Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or master's program in Computer Science, Data Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Applied Math, or a closely related field
Coursework in at least two of the following: machine learning, natural language processing, optimization/operations research, algorithms, databases, data structures, probability/statistics, or software engineering
Hands on experience (course, project, or internship) with Python for data/ML (e.g., pandas, NumPy) and at least one ML/NLP library (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit learn, Hugging Face)
Basic understanding of LLMs (prompting, fine tuning/LoRA, RAG, function/tool calling) and how to evaluate them (accuracy, grounding, latency, cost)
Familiarity with REST APIs, JSON, and microservice integration; ability to consume/produce structured tool outputs
Strong problem-solving skills, clear written communication, and the ability to collaborate in a fast paced, multidisciplinary environment
Preferred
Exposure to optimization/OR (linear/integer programming, heuristics, constraint programming) and integrating AI with solvers/simulators
Experience building RAG pipelines (vector stores, chunking, embeddings), prompt versioning, and guardrails/red teaming
Knowledge of MLOps practices (experimentation tracking, model/data versioning, CI/CD for ML) and containerization (Docker)
Domain interest in transportation, rail logistics, supply chain, or cyber physical systems
Benefits
Competitive Salary
401(k) plan with up to 6% company match (no waiting period with immediate vesting)
Medical/Dental/Vision/Life/Disability Insurance
Supplemental Accident, Critical Care, and Hospital Insurance available along with an HDHP and HSA with seed money
Flexible Spending Accounts
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Paid Time-Off (PTO)
Employee Assistance Plan
Education Assistance Program
Employee Recognition Programs
Site specific Production and Incentive Plans
Site specific Step and Skill Level Wage Adjustment Plans
Site Specific Relocation and Sign-on Bonus Programs
Company
Progress Rail, A Caterpillar Company
Our team creates lifelong customer relationships, supplying comprehensive rolling stock and infrastructure solutions for the global rail industry and setting the standard for excellence.
Founded in 1983
5001-10000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Progress Rail, A Caterpillar Company has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (7)
2024 (3)
2023 (2)
2022 (1)
2021 (4)
2020 (4)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
unknown2010-06-01Acquired
Leadership Team
Paul Denton
SVP International Sales
Recent News
2025-08-13
2025-06-11
Company data provided by crunchbase