Principal Project Engineer

globalhr; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Collins Aerospace, a RTX business, seeks a Principal Project Engineer to lead cost, schedule, and technical performance across IFATDS software programs. The role combines software and systems engineering in a dynamic defense environment, delivering trusted Fires C2 capabilities for allied forces.

You will manage day-to-day software development and testing, drive execution across multiple projects, and apply Earned Value and risk management to keep programs on track over a two-year planning

Qualifications

• Leadership experience across programs with scope, schedule, and budget responsibility.
• Proven collaboration with internal and external partners.
• Experience in proposals and project execution leadership.
• Willingness to travel occasionally.
• U.S. citizenship required to access program data.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate across programs and functions to identify efficiencies and improve practices.
• Manage multiple projects with customer-funded and internal work, potentially more than one at a time.
• Guide team on scope, schedule, and budget; participate in Earned Value and risk management.
• Forecast resources and contribute to ROM and RFP responses.
• Contribute to operational plans for IFATDS development over a 2-year window.
• Update processes and policies for engineering execution.
• Contribute to software development and systems engineering tasks.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

STEM degree

Advanced degree in related field

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-08-05

Country: United States of America

Location: US-IN-FT WAYNE-150A ~ 1010 Production Rd ~ BLDG 150A

Position Role Type: Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are authorized to access information under this program/contract.

Security Clearance Type: None/Not Required

Security Clearance Status: Not Required

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.

Battle Management Command & Control (BMC2) is seeking a talented Principal Project Engineer to serve as a Project Engineer responsible for cost, schedule, and technical performance of proprietary software programs and to support those programs as needed with software engineering and/or systems engineering tasks.

Our organization is part of Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, with a vision to be defense industry leaders in the Fires Command and Control (C2) battlespace. The candidate will have the opportunity to leverage industry best practice product development lifecycles and work as part of a team of software and systems engineers to provide allied international warfighters with Fires C2 technologies and solutions via the International Field Artillery Tactical Data System (IFATDS).IFATDS provides fully automated support for planning, coordinating, controlling and executing fires and effects, including mortars, field artillery cannons, rockets and missiles, close air support, attack aviation and Naval surface fire-support systems.

The candidate will be expected to work with engineers and leadership to turn ideas into reality and to help carry the IFATDS Product Line into a sustainable value stream. As Project Engineer, the candidate will be responsible for the day-to-day management of software development and testing for one or more IFATDS programs.

Sign On Bonus Eligible

What You Will Do

• Collaborate across programs, engineering teams, and functions to identify efficiencies and support the development of best practices, necessitating an ability to clearly communicate objectives and status to audiences with varying degrees of understanding of the products and technology.
• Understand and manage both customer-funded and internally-funded projects, including potentially more than one project at a time.
• Guide team members on the management of scope, schedule, and budget for engineering design activities and be directly involved in project management and execution, including Earned Value and Risk Management.
• Demonstrate sound decision-making skills, strategic thinking, networking skills, and the ability to accurately forecast resource needs.
• Contribute estimates (both Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) and formal Request for Proposal (RFP) responses) for new customers and/or additional capabilities for existing customers.
• Contribute to operational plans for IFATDS development over a 2-year time window.
• Contribute to updates to processes and policies relating to execution of Engineering work.
• Contribute to software development and/or systems engineering tasks as needed.

Qualifications/ Experience Needed

• Demonstrated experience applying effective leadership.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating effectively and building partnerships with others inside and outside the parent organization.
• Experience in proposals and projects in an execution leadership role that included responsibility for scope, schedule, and budget management.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to support customer events and related external activities.
• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) unless prohibited by local laws/regulations 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 after day 1. This position will require the ability to access US-only data systems.
• U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications: