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

Collins Aerospace; 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) with employer matching

Tuition reimbursement

Student Loan Repayment Program

Life insurance and disability coverage

Multiple voluntary benefits

Job summary

Collins Aerospace, a leader in aerospace and defense, seeks a Principal Engineer for Design Quality Assurance to ensure high-quality design outputs across programs in Cedar Rapids, IA. Onsite role with active SECRET clearance or ability to obtain one is required.

You will collaborate with program quality teams and IPTs to drive technical quality, manage RCCA/FRACAS, and implement APQP practices while aligning with contractual requirements and budgets.

Qualifications

• 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

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Improving processes or systems using significant conceptualizing, reasoning, and interpretation skills.
• Assuring inclusion of quality requirements, planning, and consistency for program proposals and subsequent management of the quality budget.
• Monitor / lead root cause corrective action (RCCA) and FRACAS activities for systemic issues and to ensure extensive RCCA.
• Generation of new Cost of Quality (CoQ) projects to reduce costs on the program.
• Implement Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) as applicable.

Skills

Quality management systems

ISO 9001/AS9100/AS9102

RCA - root cause analysis

Technical drawings interpretation

Customer deliverables

Quality budgeting

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

STEM degree

Advanced degree (MS/PhD)

Job description

Location: US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-166 ~ 855 35Th St NE ~ BLDG 166

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.

Principal Engineer - Design Quality Assurance

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.


• Improving processes or systems using significant conceptualizing, reasoning, and interpretation skills. Problems and issues faced are numerous and undefined, and information is typically difficult to obtain.


• Assuring inclusion of quality requirements, planning, and consistency for program proposals and subsequent management of the quality budget.


• Monitor / lead root cause corrective action (RCCA) and FRACAS activities for systemic issues and to ensure extensive RCCA.


• Generation of 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

Some of our competitive benefits package 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 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


• 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!

Collins Aerospace, an RTX company, is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry.

Collins Aerospace has the capabilities, comprehensive portfolio, and expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market.

Collins Aerospace makes modern flight possible. Of course, that wouldn’t be possible without the capabilities and technologies of our organization, as well as our engineers – a highly skilled, accomplished network that spans more than 180 sites, 24 countries and 6 Strategic Business Units (SBUs).

Our industry-leading experts are setting the standards for the aerospace industry and paving the way for the future. But as new challenges present themselves, we need fresh, creative and motivated minds to overcome these hurdles, help us break barriers and achieve new levels of innovation. Do you have what it takes to join a global organization that doesn’t shy away from big opportunities? If so, we invite you to join our ranks and create the next generation of aerospace technologies.

Together, we will nurture an engineering culture that values intellectual curiosity, risk takers and integrity. A place where we will challenge ourselves, our teams, and the status quo and where we will work to find a way – the right way – to achieve what others can only dream of.

• Please ensure the role type (defined below) is appropriate for your needs before applying to this role. This position is classified as::

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.

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 107,500 USD - 204,500 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.