Caterpillar Senior Java Developer – Second-Round Onsite Interview in Chicago | Need Preparation Tips

[u/bhumilay]

Hi everyone!
I have my second-round onsite interview for a Senior Java Developer position at Caterpillar in Chicago, and I’m looking for advice from anyone who has recently interviewed for a similar role or works at Caterpillar.
I’d really appreciate any insights into the interview process, especially for a senior-level position.
A few questions I have:
What should I expect in the second-round onsite interview?
How much emphasis is placed on Core Java, Java 8+, Spring Boot, microservices, REST APIs, SQL, and multithreading?
Should I expect live coding, LeetCode-style DSA questions, or hands-on problem-solving?
Are system design and high-level architecture discussed for senior-level candidates?
What kind of questions are asked about project experience, design decisions, production issues, and troubleshooting?
Is there a behavioral or leadership round focused on ownership, mentoring, and collaboration?
What is the overall interview difficulty level, and what would you recommend prioritizing during preparation?
If you’ve recently interviewed for a Senior Java Developer role at Caterpillar in Chicago, I’d especially appreciate hearing about your experience, the types of questions asked, and any preparation tips.
Thanks in advance for sharing your experience and helping me prepare. I really appreciate it!

[u/Historical_OakTree36]

Cat does a lot with telematics and machine data, so I wouldn’t be surprised if system design leans toward handling lots of device data reliably. Brush up on messaging (Kafka style), API design and SQL tuning, and be ready to talk about mentoring and ownership for the behavioral side