Controls Project Engineer (Onsite)

Collins Aerospace; Rockford (IL); On-site; USD 87,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Vacation

401(k) Plan

Tuition Reimbursement

Student Loan Repayment

Life Insurance

Disability Coverage

Pet Insurance

Parental Leave

Wellness Program

Job summary

Collins Aerospace is seeking a Controls Project Engineer to lead cross-functional engineering teams in Rockford, IL. You will translate program requirements into actionable plans, manage detailed schedules and budgets, and ensure milestones are met while guiding technical reviews with customers and stakeholders.

The role emphasizes liaison between program management, engineering, and external customers to deliver on-time, within-budget outcomes and maintain strong customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• This job requires a STEM degree with 5+ years of related experience, or an advanced degree with 3+ years.
• Experience in project planning and management, including schedules, budgets, and action plans.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and interfacing with customers and program management.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional engineering teams to execute development and test activities.
• Develop and manage detailed project plans, schedules, and budgets to ensure milestones are met.
• Define, tailor, and manage engineering product development processes and reviews (PDRs/CDRs).
• Serve as the primary technical interface between Program Management, Functional Management, and external customers.
• Identify technical and project-related risks and implement risk mitigation strategies.
• Plan program activities, secure resources, and ensure alignment with contract requirements.
• Interface with customers and program management to communicate status and ensure satisfaction.
• Oversee hardware configuration control and manage interfaces with the controls group.
• Track and assess changes and their impacts on cost, schedule, and risk.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Customer interfacing

Education

STEM degree

Advanced degree in related field

Job description

Date Posted

2026-10-14

Country

United States of America

Location

US-IL-ROCKFORD-P6 ~ 4747 Harrison Ave ~ 4747 HARRISON AVE-P6

Position Role Type

Onsite

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

This job requires a U.S. Person. A U.S. Person is a lawful permanent resident as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20) or who is a protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, U.S. permanent residents, or individuals granted refugee or asylee status in the U.S. are considered U.S. persons. For a complete definition of “U.S. Person” go here: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/chapter-I/subchapter-M/part-120/subpart-C/section-120.62

Security Clearance Type

None/Not Required

Security Clearance Status

Not Required

We’re looking for a Controls Project Engineer to join our team in Rockford, Illinois, and play a key role in driving complex engineering development and test programs from planning through execution. This is an exciting opportunity for an engineering professional who thrives at the intersection of technical problem-solving, project leadership, and cross-functional collaboration.

In this role, you’ll bring engineering teams together, translate program requirements into actionable plans, and help ensure critical technical milestones are delivered on time, within budget, and in accordance with customer expectations. You’ll serve as a key technical liaison among engineering teams, program leadership, functional management, and external customers, helping turn complex requirements into successful program outcomes.

If you’re passionate about engineering, enjoy leading teams through challenging projects, and want to contribute to technologies that advance aerospace and defense, we invite you to join us.

What You Will Do

• Lead cross-functional engineering teams to execute engineering development and test activities.
• Develop and manage detailed project plans, schedules, and budgets to ensure project milestones are met.
• Define, tailor, and manage engineering product development processes, including internal and external technical reviews and program milestone reviews such as Preliminary Design Reviews (PDRs) and Critical Design Reviews (CDRs).
• Serve as the primary technical interface between Program Management, Functional Management, and external customers.
• Identify technical and project-related risks and develop and execute risk mitigation strategies, including maintaining and supporting the program risk register.
• Plan overall program activities, secure and allocate resources in coordination with engineering functional managers, and ensure alignment with contract requirements and deliverables.
• Interface with customers and program management to communicate project status, resolve issues, and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Oversee hardware configuration control and manage technical interfaces with the controls group.
• Track and assess the impacts of changes and risks on the project and ensure compliance with contract requirements and milestone tracking.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 5 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 3 years of experience
• Experience in project planning and management, including developing and managing schedules, budgets, and action plans.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and interfacing with customers and program management.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Experience developing and managing Integrated Master Schedules (IMS).
• Experience with hardware configuration control and managing technical interfaces with controls groups.
• Experience identifying and managing project changes and assessing their impacts on cost, schedule, and risk.
• Familiarity with contract requirements, deliverables, and milestone tracking.
• Experience owning work packages and coordinating internal and external technical reviews.
• Experience using Earned Value Management to track project performance.
• Previous experience working on hardware development or hardware-related projects.

What We Offer

Some of our competitive benefitspackage 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 youcan buy pet insurance, home and auto insurance,additionallife and accident insurance,critical illnessinsurance, 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,childand elder care services
• Teladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program
• And more!

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 limitlesspossibility. And the bonds we form – with our customers and with each other -- propel us all higher,again and again.

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 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.

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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