Principal Hardware Engineer - Electrical (Onsite)

Prattwhitney; Fullerton (CA); On-site; USD 118,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Generous 401(k) retirement plan

Tuition reimbursement

Relocation assistance possible

Life insurance and disability coverage

Job summary

Collins Aerospace, in Fullerton, CA, seeks a Principal Electrical Engineer to join the Hardware Engineering team supporting the JPALS program. You will perform hardware design, hands‑on testing, and create engineering documentation in a onsite role.

The ideal candidate has substantial experience in circuit design, lead projects, and manage cost/schedule with a clear path to DoD/security clearance. This position emphasizes creating proposals, bids, and transitioning designs to production.

Qualifications

• Experience in hardware design and related testing.
• Circuit design and component selection trade studies.
• Proven ability to lead technical scope and teams with cost/schedule accountability.
• Eligibility for U.S. government security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Integrate equipment and lab set‑ups for testing.
• Design and build prototypes with mechanical and electrical components.
• Install units in systems and conduct unit/system testing.
• Research components for hardware design selection and prepare documentation.
• Lead hardware design projects and coordinate with vendors.
• Transition designs from development to production and manage ROM/BOE artifacts.

Skills

Hardware design

Circuit design

Trade studies

Project leadership

Cost & schedule control

Education

STEM degree in engineering/science/math

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-09-02 Country: United States of America Location: US-CA-FULLERTON-676 ~ 1801 Hughes Dr ~ BLDG 676 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 Collins Aerospace presents an exciting career opportunity for an Electrical Engineer to join our Hardware Engineering team, supporting the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) program. We are dedicated to developing the next generation precision landing products and provide crucial support to existing fielded systems. This is a Principal Electrical Engineering position located on-site in Fullerton, California. We are seeking an individual with background in hardware design. Responsibilities will include hardware design activities as well as hands‑on unit/system testing and troubleshooting. Development and production activities require component research, laboratory integration, test and evaluation, qualification, fault isolation, prototype set‑up, test procedure write‑ups, and trade study documentation. Additional responsibilities include leading design projects within planned cost and schedule as well as creating proposals/bids for new business.

What You Will Do

• You will integrate equipment and lab set‑up for testing
• You will design and build prototypes with mechanical and electrical components
• You will install and swap units into system or test string as needed, including antennas, radios, amplifiers, power supplies, servers, routers, processors.
• You will conduct unit and system level testing in lab environment.
• You will research electrical and mechanical components for hardware design selection.
• You will assemble electronic rack assemblies with units.
• You will design and build cable/harness assemblies.
• You will create electrical schematic diagrams.
• You will create and release engineering documentation.
• You will work independently lead hardware design projects.
• You will create and lead hardware drawing release plan.
• You will coordinate with vendors for successful hardware development.
• You will transition projects from design phase to production phase.
• You will execute projects within planned cost and schedule.
• You will create proposal ROMs and BOEs.

Qualifications

• Experience with Design and Qualifications
• Experience with circuit design
• Experience performing component/unit selection trade studies
• Experience leading technical scope and team to execute project deliverables
• Experience leading projects with accountability for cost and schedule as Cost Account Manager
• 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
• 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.

We Prefer

• Experience using laboratory equipment such as oscilloscope, function generator, digital multimeter, voltage regulator, analog to digital converter, etc.
• Experience with creating engineering CDRLs and SOWs.
• Experience creating proposal ROMs and BOEs.
• Experience with Earned Value Management.
• Experience with transitioning projects from design phase to production phase.
• Experience with Circuit Card Assembly design and fabrication process.
• Experience with hardware environmental qualification testing process.
• Experience researching specifications for commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS) components.
• Experience creating wiring diagrams and electrical system schematics, including unit/cable pin‑out tables.
• Experience building schedule using Microsoft Project tool.
• Experience with VME and VPX chassis.
• Familiar working with antennas, radios, amplifiers, power supplies, servers, routers, processors, and switches.
• Familiar with cable assemblies for power, data, and RF.
• Knowledge of networking equipment, Power distribution, and Cable/Harness connectors.
• Familiar with communication interfaces and bus standards (e.g., SPI, I2C, PCIe, UART, VME, VPX, or Gb Ethernet).
• Experience with GPS Navigation systems.

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
• May be eligible for Relocation
• And more!

Mission Systems

Do you want to be a part of something bigger? A team whose impact stretches across the world, and even beyond? At Collins Aerospace, our Mission Systems team helps civilian, military and government customers complete their most complex missions — whatever and wherever they may be. Our customers depend on us for intelligent and secure communications, missionized systems for specialized aircraft and spacecraft and collaborative space solutions. By joining our team, you’ll have your own critical part to play in ensuring our customer succeeds today while anticipating their needs for tomorrow. Are you up for the challenge? Join our mission today. 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.

Onsite Role Definition

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.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is 118,300 USD - 224,900 USD.

Additional Information

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.

Application Timeline

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.

Equal Opportunity

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.

Company Overview

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.