Principal Engineer - Design Quality Assurance (Onsite - Cedar Rapids, IA)

Prattwhitney; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 108,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Three weeks of vacation

Generous 401(k) matching

Tuition reimbursement

Student Loan Repayment

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Job summary

Collins Aerospace is hiring a Principal Engineer - Design Quality Assurance for onsite work in Cedar Rapids, IA. The role ensures high quality by embedding quality engineering throughout the lifecycle, preventing defects and enabling program success.

A SECRET clearance is required or the ability to obtain one, with relocation not provided. You will drive quality improvements, interface with IPTs and customers, and lead cost-of-quality initiatives while delivering robust quality plans and APQP

Qualifications

• Requires STEM degree with 8+ years of experience or advanced degree with 5+ years.
• Experience with Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001, AS9100, AS9102).
• Experience overseeing RCA, corrective and preventive actions.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings and deliver customer-facing artifacts.

Responsibilities

• Interface with program quality teams, programs, customers and IPTs to ensure quality and compliance.
• Interface with external/internal customers to build effective relationships.
• Manage and influence across multiple stakeholder levels for program success.
• Deliver products and services while addressing quality risks and RCCA actions.
• Improve processes and systems with strong conceptual reasoning.
• Lead RCCA and FRACAS activities to prevent recurrence of issues.
• Develop CoQ projects to reduce program costs and implement APQP where applicable.

Skills

Quality management systems

Root cause analysis (RCA)

Interpreting technical drawings

Customer deliverables

Cross-functional influence

Written & verbal communication

Problem solving

Education

STEM degree

Advanced degree (related field)

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-08-17 Country: United States of America Location: US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-166 ~ 855 35Th St NE ~ BLDG 166 Position Role Type: Onsite U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: 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 Security Clearance Type: DoD Clearance: Secret Security Clearance Status: Active and existing security clearance required after day 1 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. Collins Aerospace Engineering & Technology is looking to hire a Principal Engineer - Design Quality Assurance, who enables quality solutions, capabilities and services to engineering. You will be part of the Design Quality Assurance organization, working closely with stakeholders to ensure the quality of exciting and diverse new design products and develop continual improvement solutions. Quality Engineers are embedded throughout the engineering lifecycle to prevent defects from reaching the customer and to ensure flawless program execution to meet quality, cost, schedule and technical objectives. This role will be worked onsite in Cedar Rapids, IA. and will require an active or ability to obtain a SECRET clearance. Relocation assistance not available.

What You Will Do:

• Interface with the program quality teams, programs, customers, and Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), facilitating technical quality and financial performance, and compliance to procedures and contractual requirements.
• Closely interface with external and internal customers and key partners to establish effective relationships.
• Must have the ability to manage and impact across multiple levels of stakeholders, as it is vital to the success of this role.
• You will be responsible for; Delivered products and services to our customers, stakeholders of quality risks, uncertainties and opportunities, key team members in resolution of customer expectations and relationships.
• Improve processes or systems using significant conceptualizing, reasoning, and interpretation skills.
• Problem and issues faced are numerous and undefined, and information is typically difficult to obtain.
• Assure inclusion of quality requirements, planning, and consistency for program proposals and subsequent management of the quality budget.
• Monitor and lead root cause corrective action (RCCA) and FRACAS activities for systemic issues and to ensure extensive RCCA.
• Generate new Cost of Quality (CoQ) projects to reduce costs on the program.
• Implement Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) as applicable.

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 8 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 5 years of experience U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance
• Experience with Quality Management Systems, to include ISO 9001, AS9100 and/or AS9102
• Experience overseeing teams in failure and root cause analysis (RCA), corrective and preventative actions
• Experience interpreting technical drawings
• Experience with customer deliverables

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Active Secret clearance
• Experience, knowledge, or exposure to software coding and/or testing
• Experience, knowledge, or exposure to knowledge in Agile, DevOps, DevSecOps, Code Analysis and/or Test Automation
• Experience, knowledge, or exposure to software test, cybersecurity, software or information assurance
• Basis of Estimate and Proposal Experience
• Experience with Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP)/AS9145 and utilizing resources such as Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), Key Characteristics, Design Failure Modes, and Effects Analysis (DFMEA), Production Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) and/or Control Plans
• Experience with Customer Oriented Results and Excellence (CORE) or another Continuous Improvement Program
• Experience presenting, reviewing and/or approving changes through a formal Change Control Board (CCB)
• Experience, knowledge, or exposure to phases of the development life cycle
• Demonstrated Applied Critical Thinking Skills
• Ability to influence without authority, experience with cross functional teams
• Ability to prioritize workload in a multi-tasking, resource constrained work environment
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

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 107,500 USD - 204,500 USD.

RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted.

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.

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.