Associate Director , Advanced System Tools - Program Chief (Onsite)

Collins Aerospace; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 157,000 - 299,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Paid vacation

401(k) plan with match

Tuition reimbursement

Life insurance and disability coverage

Employee assistance program

Parental leave benefits

Growth opportunities

Job summary

Collins Aerospace in Cedar Rapids, IA is seeking a Program Chief (Associate Director) to lead architecture, design, implementation, verification, and integration of next-generation software and system development kits, including Virtual System Test Rigs.

The ideal candidate has avionics and test system architecture experience, DO-178B/C DAL A certification leadership, and proven execution-team leadership for complex programs. Onsite role in Cedar Rapids; US citizenship required.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a STEM degree with 12 years of experience or an advanced degree with 10 years.
• Ability to obtain/maintain U.S. government security clearance is required.
• U.S. citizenship is required for security clearance access.
• Experience with avionics and test system architecture.
• Experience leading technical projects and executive briefings.
• Experience with DO-178B/C DAL A software certification.
• Experience coordinating with program management and customers.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical authority for assigned products and portfolios.
• Lead cross-functional teams to develop, integrate, and deliver solutions.
• Drive program execution: plans, schedules, budgets, risks, performance.
• Contribute to proposals, statements of work, and customer deliverables.
• Oversee design, development, integration, verification, and certification.
• Resolve complex challenges and coordinate resources for programs.
• Partner with customers and suppliers to align solutions with contracts.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Program management

System architecture

Avionics experience

DO-178B/C DAL A

Customer interaction

Education

STEM degree

Advanced degree

Job description

Location:

US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-124 ~ 400 Collins Rd NE ~ BLDG 124

Date Posted:

2026-07-27

Country:

United States of America

Position Role Type:

Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:

U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are authorized to access information under this program/contract.

Security Clearance Type:

None/Not Required

Security Clearance Status:

Not Required

Become part of the growing Collins Aerospace Advanced System Tools!

This position is for a highly experienced and motivated Program Chief (Associate Director) that will be involved in the proposal, architecture, design, implementation, verification, and integration of a wide variety of next generation software and system development kits, specifically Virtual System Test Rigs. As an engineering lead in this organization, you will be employing best practice design methodologies and utilizing emerging technologies to pioneer a new product line from the ground up.

The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of software development practices, system testing, military/commercial certification, and experience leading execution teams. This is an onsite position based in Cedar Rapids, IA.

What You Will Do

• Serve as the technical authority for assigned products, programs, or customer portfolios, providing engineering leadership and technical direction.


• Lead cross-functional engineering teams to develop, integrate, and deliver innovative, high-quality solutions.


• Drive program execution by managing technical plans, schedules, budgets, risks, and overall engineering performance.


• Lead technical contributions to proposals, business plans, statements of work, and customer deliverables.


• Oversee product design, development, integration, verification, validation, and certification activities.


• Resolve complex technical challenges and coordinate resources to ensure successful program execution.


• Partner with customers, suppliers, and program leadership to align technical solutions with business objectives and contractual commitments.

Willingness to travel (domestic and international)

What You Will Learn

• Launching, maturing, and scaling a new product line with broad organizational dependencies.


• Defining and communicating a compelling value proposition for internal and external stakeholders.


• Executing tooling programs that support safetycritical Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) certification and qualified toolchains.


• Negotiating product development and program models across commercial and military domains.


• Understanding how tooling investments drive continuous value, quality improvement, and cost/schedule efficiencies across engineering use cases.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 12 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 10 years of experience


• The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required


• U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance


• Experience with avionics and test system architecture.


• Experience leading technical projects including customer interaction and briefing executive leadership.


• Experience with leading DO-178B/C DAL A certification activities for software development


• Experience with interfacing with the wide spectrum of individual contributors to program management and customers.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Virtual/Host Test Rig Development.


• Experience with DO-330 Tool Certification


• Experience with military & commercial program procurement, execution, and support (Life Cycle Management)


• Experience with design and development of Flight Management Systems, Flight Displays, Comm/Nav/Surveillance and/or Networking Software (System of Systems)

What We Offer

• 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


• Ovia Health, fertility, and family planning


• 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!

The salary range for this role is 157,200 USD - 298,800 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.

Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.

Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.

This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.

RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

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