Avionics Senior Systems Engineer (Onsite)

Collins Aerospace; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 87,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Three weeks of vacation for newly hire

Generous 401(k) plan with employer 2nd

Tuition reimbursement

Student Loan Repayment Program

Life insurance and disability coverage

Adoption Assistance

Job summary

Collins Aerospace in Cedar Rapids, IA seeks a Senior Systems Engineer for aerospace development. You will define, design, integrate, and test features for OEM aircraft platforms, support flight test campaigns, and participate in certification activities.

The role may evolve into an Integrated Product Team leader and requires hands-on learning of aircraft systems and safety integration. Applicants should bring an engineering mindset, accountability, and experience across avionics system

Qualifications

• Typically requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Sci/Tech/Engineering/Math (STEM) with 5 years of relevant experience, or an Advanced Degree with 3+ years.
• Experience in avionics systems engineering development and DO-178B/C, ARP4754 is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Engineering duties spanning the development life cycle from design through testing and delivery.
• Capture requirements from OEMs and allocate them to Collins Aerospace domains.
• Lead design reviews and present approaches internally and to OEMs.
• Create test procedures and analysis methods to verify requirements.
• Complete certification artifacts and ARP4754/DO-160 related tasks.
• Support aerospace flight test campaigns and certification activities.

Skills

Avionics systems engineering

Agile process experience

Technical leadership

Requirements analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Advanced degree in a related field

Tools

JIRA

JAMA

DOORS

Job description

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

Date Posted: 2026-10-19

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 Systems Engineer with a passion for aerospace 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 flight test campaigns and completion of certification activities. There is potential to become an Integrated Product Team (IPT) leader. The applicant must be willing to immerse themselves in learning all aspects of the aircraft and 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:

• Engineering duties spanning the entire development life cycle from systems design through systems testing and delivery
• Capturing requirements from aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)
• Decompose and allocate requirements to appropriate domains within Collins Aerospace
• Creating design approaches and prototypes
• Leading design approach presentations and reviews internally and externally with the OEM’s
• Creation of test procedures and analysis methods to verify and validate requirements
• Completion of certification artifacts, including Systems Certification Summary, TSO compliance reports, and process compliance.
• Interpretation of and participation in ARP-4754 customer audits
• Answer customer questions and investigate issues related to software and hardware delivered to the OEM
• Investigations of root causes of issues discovered during flight tests and in-service aircraft operations
• Support activities to manage scope, schedule, and cost while optimizing engineering resources
• Support 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
• Developing systems architecture and human-machine interface requirements for new aircraft development
• Change Impact Analysis for HIRF and Lightning qualification (DO-160)

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Typically requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and 5 years of prior relevant experience, or an Advanced Degree in a related field and 3 years of prior relevant experience.
• Experience in major aspects of avionics systems engineering development

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Experience in a technical leadership role
• Experience in avionics certification (DO178B/C, ARP4754)
• Understanding and experience with Hardware DO-160, EMI/ENV Qualification
• Project Engineering experience
• An understanding of FAA FAR's and Advisory Circulars
• Agile process experience
• Use of JIRA, JAMA, DOORS and other engineering process tools
• Private Pilot License. IFR rating a plus.
• Drone Flight certified

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 illnessinsurance, 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!

The salary range for this role is 86,800 USD - 165,200 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.

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.

Privacy Policy and Terms:

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.