Senior Principal Avionics Systems Engineer (Onsite)

Date Posted:
2026-10-22


Country:
United States of America


Location:
US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-105 ~ 400 Collins Rd NE ~ BLDG 105


Position Role Type:
Onsite


U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:
The company will offer immigration sponsorship for this position, if needed.​ ​ The company will seek an export authorization for this role, if required. RTX must be able to obtain and maintain the U.S. export authorization.


Security Clearance Type:
None/Not Required


Security Clearance Status:
Not Required
At RTX, the world's largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world.
Collins Aerospace is a leader in technologically advanced, intelligent solutions that help redefine the aerospace and defense industry. With a comprehensive portfolio and deep technical expertise, we help customers meet the demands of the global market. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.
We are looking for a Senior Principal Systems Engineer with a passion for avionics systems engineering, a high degree of accountability, and ability to thrive in a Agile team environment.
A variety of systems engineering skills are required to define, design, develop, integrate, and test new features for delivery to OEM aircraft platforms. The job includes supporting OEM flight test campaigns and completion of certification activities. There is an expectation to supervise Integrated Product Teams. The applicant must have advanced knowledge of aircraft systems as defined in the Air Transport Association (ATA) chapters. In this position one will be at the forefront of designing safety into all systems under development. The ideal candidate should have an engineering curiosity that inspires the creation of innovative solutions for engineering development and certification of products and systems with regulatory agencies.
What You Will Do:
Leading engineering duties spanning the entire development life cycle from systems design through systems testing and delivery
Leading requirements capture from aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)
Decompose and allocate requirements to appropriate domains within Collins Aerospace
Leading the creation of innovative design approaches and prototypes
Leading design approach presentations and reviews internally and externally with the OEM’s
Leading creation of test procedures and analysis methods to verify and validate requirements
Active support in the preparation of certification artifacts, including Systems Certification Summary, TSO compliance reports, and process compliance
Lead the creation of artifacts to support Stages of Involvement SOI 1, 2, 3, 4 and TSO submittals
Interpretation of and participation in ARP-4754 customer audits
Provide leadership in answering customer questions and investigating issues related to software and hardware delivered to the OEM
Leading Root Causes and Corrective Actions (RCCA) of must-fix issues discovered during flight tests and in-service aircraft operations
Support activities to manage scope, schedule, and cost while optimizing engineering resources
Lead cross-functional integrated product team development between Collins engineering subject matter experts and customer engineers
Communicate engineering design solutions both orally and written with customers, other engineers, technicians, pilots, and leadership
Lead the developing of systems architecture and human-machine interface requirements for new aircraft development
Lead Change Impact Analysis for HIRF and Lightning qualification (DO-160)
Qualifications You Must Have:
Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 10 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 7 years of experience
Advanced knowledge of avionic systems on civilian commercial aircraft
Deep experience leading avionics engineering development phases
Evident wide experience leading customer facing engineering teams.
Evident deep engineering experience interacting and communicating with commercial aircraft OEM’s
Practical and proven experience capturing design change proposals, leading features development from inception to delivery.
Proven ability to interpret and manage requirements, interface control documents, CONOPS, technical specifications, TRDs, and verification matrices
Evident and successful experience as a systems project engineer creating bids and presenting them to all levels of leadership
Experience using engineering tools JIRA, JAMA, and DOORS and the AGILE process
Deep knowledge of aircraft certification standards such as ARP-4754, DO178B/C, DO-160.
Experience working with the FAA TCR’s, TCCA, and EASA
Deep and evident experience designing avionic systems architectures
Experience interacting with end user commercial airlines at their base of operations or Flight Operations Steering Committee meetings
Qualifications We Prefer:
Flight Management Systems (FMS) testing experience
Private Pilot License. IFR rating a plus.
Drone Flight Certified helpful
A&P License
Proficiency in programming languages such as python, C/C++, Java
Proficiency with the MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
What We Offer
Some of our competitive benefits package includes:
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees
Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and separate employer retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option
Tuition reimbursement program
Student Loan Repayment Program
Life insurance and disability coverage
Optional coverages you can buy pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection
Birth, adoption, parental leave benefits
Carrot Health to hormonal health, fertility, and family building
Adoption Assistance
Autism Benefit
Employee Assistance Plan, including up to 10 free counseling sessions
Healthy You Incentives, wellness rewards program
Doctor on Demand, virtual doctor visits
Bright Horizons, child and elder care services
Teladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program
And more!
Learn More & Apply Now!
Collins Aerospace makes modern flight possible. Of course, that wouldn’t be possible without the capabilities and technologies of our organization, as well as our engineers – a highly skilled, accomplished network that spans more than 180 sites, 24 countries and 6 Strategic Business Units (SBUs).
Our industry-leading experts are setting the standards for the aerospace industry and paving the way for the future. But as new challenges present themselves, we need fresh, creative and motivated minds to overcome these hurdles, help us break barriers and achieve new levels of innovation. Do you have what it takes to join a global organization that doesn’t shy away from big opportunities? If so, we invite you to join our ranks and create the next generation of aerospace technologies.
Together, we will nurture an engineering culture that values intellectual curiosity, risk takers and integrity. A place where we will challenge ourselves, our teams, and the status quo and where we will work to find a way – the right way – to achieve what others can only dream of.
Onsite: Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products.
At Collins, the paths we pave together lead to limitless possibility. And the bonds we form – with our customers and with each other -- propel us all higher, again and again.
Apply now and be part of the team that’s redefining aerospace, every day.
As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remote.
The salary range for this role is 132,400 USD - 251,600 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.