Principal Systems Engineer (Contingent)- Onsite

Collins Aerospace; Aurora (CO); On-site; USD 108,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) plan with company match

Relocation assistance may be provided

Life insurance

Job summary

RTX, in collaboration with Collins Aerospace, seeks a Principal Systems Engineer to serve as Product Owner for the HBMA Sustainment program in Aurora, CO. You will drive backlog prioritization, lead architectural decisions, and ensure secure, cloud-enabled mission capabilities while coordinating across engineering disciplines.

The role requires strong systems engineering, DevSecOps alignment, and experience with distributed, cloud-native systems.

Qualifications

• Experience in systems engineering: requirements, architecture, integration, verification.
• Demonstrated experience defining product features, writing clear user stories, and maintaining a prioritized backlog.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate across engineering disciplines.
• Experience with cloud-based or distributed systems.
• Strong understanding of interface and configuration management.
• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 8 years of prior relevant experience or An Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 5 years experience.
• Active and transferable U.S. government issued TS/SCI clearance is required prior to start date.
• U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Engage users and stakeholders to validate operational needs and prioritize the backlog.
• Lead technical discussions across multi-discipline teams and provide customer voice guidance.
• Oversee system architectures, data flows, and cloud deployment patterns.
• Define acceptance criteria for development teams and verify demonstrations.

Skills

Systems engineering

Product ownership

Cloud computing

Security & cybersecurity

Backlog management

DevSecOps

Education

STEM degree + years experience

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-08-14

Country: United States of America

Location: US-CO-AURORA-S75 ~ 16800 E Centretech Pkwy ~ BLDG S75

Position Role Type: Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance

Security Clearance Type: TS/SCI - Current

Security Clearance Status: Active and existing security clearance required on day 1

Raytheon Company, Managed By Collins Aerospace

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, an RTX company, is seeking an experienced Principal Systems Engineer to perform a Product Owner role supporting the AF DCGS High Band Mission Applications Software (HBMAS) Sustainment and Development program in Aurora, CO. The role focuses on applying systems engineering practices across requirements, architecture, integration, verification, and technical leadership to deliver secure, cloud-enabled mission capabilities. The team designs and tests enhancements to cloud-enabled systems responsible for ingesting, tagging, and auditing mission data while ensuring security, integrity, and availability. Work is performed using modern agile methods in close collaboration with customer and operational stakeholders. Position includes occasional CONUS/OCONUS travel (up to 25%).

An active and transferable U.S. government issued TS/SCI clearance is required prior to start date.

This position is contingent upon contract award and customer funding.

What You Will Do

Product Ownership

• Engage users and stakeholders to validate operational needs
• Build, refine, and prioritize the technical backlog with stakeholders
• Perform Increment Planning based on needs, priorities and team capacity
• Lead technical discussions across multi-discipline teams
• Provide guidance and make decisions for the product team as the voice of the customer/user

System Architecture & Design

• Refine architectures, interfaces, and end to end data flows
• Support decisions on cloud deployment patterns, containerization, and security controls
• Maintain system baselines and alignment across engineering teams
• Define and interpret acceptance criteria for development teams

Integration & Verification

• Oversee installation, deployment, and test of distributed, cloud-enabled mission applications
• Review and guide verification strategies, test procedures, automated scripts, and manual tests
• Own acceptance criteria and review demonstrations to verify acceptance criteria have been met

Configuration & Interface Management

• Manage technical baselines through disciplined configuration processes
• Participate in interface control working groups and resolve interface issues
• Ensure compliance with cybersecurity and mission assurance requirements

What You Will Learn

• Evolution of mission systems across cloud, cyber, data ingestion, and distributed architectures
• Integration of Systems Engineering with DevSecOps and modern deployment pipelines
• How operational constraints influence architectural and sustainment decisions
• Strategies for balancing modernization with legacy system interoperability

Qualifications You Must Have

• Experience in systems engineering: requirements, architecture, integration, verification.
• Demonstrated experience defining product features, writing clear user stories, and maintaining a prioritized backlog.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate across engineering disciplines
• Experience with cloud-based or distributed systems.
• Strong understanding of interface and configuration management.
• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 8 years of prior relevant experience or An Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 5 years experience.
• Active and transferable U.S. government issued TS/SCI clearance is required prior to start date.
• U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Qualifications We Prefer

• CompTIA Security+
• Experience with containerized/cloudnative architectures (Docker, Kubernetes, managed services).
• Familiarity with DevSecOps pipelines, automated testing, and CI/CD.
• Experience with observability, monitoring, and logging tools.
• Knowledge of DoD mission systems, cybersecurity requirements, and secure by design methodologies.

What we offer

• Some of our competitive benefits packages include:
• 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 coverage: you can purchase 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
• Relocation assistance may be provided
• And more!

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.