Development & Test Engineering Manager (Onsite)

Prattwhitney; West Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 132,000 - 252,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Excellent 401(k) plan with match

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Pratt & Whitney, a leading provider of aerospace propulsion systems, seeks a Development & Test Engineering Manager to coordinate prototype development, testing, and performance validation for CEN products. You will translate designs into prototypes, drive test readiness, and lead cross‑functional teams across suppliers, maintenance, and facilities.

The role emphasizes hands‑on technical leadership, reducing lead times, and improving development throughput in a dynamic aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) with required experience.
• Advanced degree preferred with leadership experience in hardware development.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate prototype development and test schedules with project plans.
• Translate CAD concepts into functional prototypes and provide producibility feedback.
• Ensure test readiness, validation, and verification meet requirements.
• Lead cross‑functional engineering and test activities to support program execution.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Test engineering

Troubleshooting

Communication

Education

STEM degree with 10+ years experience or advanced degree with 7+ years

14 years of relevant experience without degree

Tools

CAD modeling

Test instrumentation

Automation

Job description

We are looking for a Development & Test Engineering Manager to lead the coordination of prototype development, testing, and performance validation for Collins Engine Nozzles (CEN) products. You’ll partner with Engineering and cross‑functional teams to align schedules, communicate progress and risks, and ensure programs stay on track. This is a hands‑on, technically focused role where you’ll help translate designs into functional prototypes, drive test readiness, troubleshoot challenges, and coordinate resources across suppliers, maintenance, and facilities. You’ll also help improve processes, tools, and testing methods to reduce lead times and increase development efficiency. We’re looking for someone who enjoys bringing teams together, solving technical problems, and driving hardware programs from concept through testing and validation.

What You Will Do

• Partner with Program Managers to align prototype and test schedules with overall project plans.
• Communicate progress, risks, and resource needs to leadership and stakeholders.
• Coordinate all performance development activities for both sustaining and NPI programs in alignment with customer requirements
• Translate engineering concepts and CAD models into functional prototypes, providing feedback on producibility and manufacturability as needed.
• Ensure test readiness plans, validation activities, and verification activities meet regulatory, customer, and internal requirements across all programs.
• Promote robust test methods, instrumentation, automation, and data‑driven decision‑making.
• Provide technical leadership in troubleshooting test stand equipment and coordinate with suppliers, maintenance, and facilities to ensure readiness.
• Guide the development of design definitions, standards, and methodologies for CEN hardware.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, tools, and methods to enhance prototyping, testing, and validation capabilities.
• Drive capital and process improvements that reduce lead times, increase accuracy, and improve development throughput.

You Must Have

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) unless prohibited by local laws/regulations and minimum 10 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 7 years of experience or in absence of a degree, 14 years of relevant experience
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage customers, technical teams, and all levels of management.
• Recognized technical expertise, with a proven track record of influencing product strategy and technology direction.
• Demonstrated experience managing cross‑functional engineering, prototyping, and test activities, coordinating teams, resources, schedules, and priorities to support successful program execution.

We Prefer

• Advanced degree(s) in Business Management, Engineering, or another related technical field.
• Demonstrated experience leading projects, cross‑functional teams, or customer‑facing technical engagements.
• Experience with fuel nozzle design, development, and testing, or related aerospace propulsion systems.
• Strong problem‑solving, collaboration, decision‑making, and leadership skills, with the ability to drive results in a complex engineering environment.
• Experience leading multi‑year technology roadmaps and making strategic investment decisions.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in ambiguous environments and drive solutions to complex, multidisciplinary problems.

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
• Optional coverages you can buy: home and auto insurance
• Optional coverages you can buy: additional life and accident insurance
• Optional coverages you can buy: critical illness insurance
• Optional coverages you can buy: group legal
• Optional coverages you can buy: 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!

We make modern flight possible for millions of travelers and our military every second. Our major product lines are on‑board virtually every aircraft flying. Be it keeping passengers safe with our emergency power generation systems or creating a positive in flight experience through reliable cabin pressure controls and quieter engines, Power & Controls focuses on delivering a best‑in‑class experience to our customers. We hire the top people in the industry. Their ideas drive our performance, and our integrity keeps our customers happy. Join us as we take flight!

*Please ensure the role type (defined below) is appropriate for your needs before applying to this role. Onsite:Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite.

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.

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.

Privacy Policy and Terms: Click on this link to read the Policy and Terms RTX is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It comprises three industry‑leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. Its 195,000 employees enable the company to operate at the edge of known science as they imagine and deliver solutions that push the boundaries in quantum physics, electric propulsion, directed energy, hypersonics, avionics and cybersecurity. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.