Project Chief Engineer

Collins Aerospace; Largo (FL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Three weeks vacation

Generous 401(k) plan with matching

Job summary

Collins Aerospace, a RTX company, seeks a Project Chief Engineer in Largo, FL to lead NC2 communication systems development and integration. The role requires DoD Top Secret clearance and U.S. citizenship, with onsite work and travel as needed.

You will coordinate cross-functional teams across engineering, planning, and management, shaping program plans and cost proposals while ensuring compliance with contractual obligations and safety standards.

Qualifications

• Degree in STEM with 9+ years experience, or advanced degree with 9+ years.
• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI and U.S. citizenship required.
• Willingness to travel up to 15% and work onsite in Largo, FL.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams on DoD/DoD-related programs.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical design authority for CCSS projects.
• Manage budgets, staffing, and schedules for CCSS programs.
• Lead project controls to meet cost, schedule, quality, and safety goals.
• Establish engineering direction for product research, development, integration, and test.
• Ensure verification, validation, and certification activities meet requirements.
• Provide ongoing integration of program plans with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Project leadership

Systems engineering

Communications systems

Security clearance

Education

STEM degree

Tools

MS Office/MS Project/EVMS

Job description

Location: US-FL-LARGO-382SS ~ 7887 Bryan Dairy Rd. ~ BLDG 100

Date Posted: 2026-09-14

Country: United States of America

Location: US-FL-LARGO-382SS ~ 7887 Bryan Dairy Rd. ~ BLDG 100

Position Role Type: Remote

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: Top Secret - Current

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

Job Description

Project Chief Engineer

Raytheon Company, Managed By Collins Aerospace

At RTX, the world 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, 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.

This position requires: US Government Department of Defense (DoD) Top Secret Security Clearance required prior to Day 1.

This role will be located onsite in Largo, FL, however for qualified candidates', we may consider hybrid or remote candidates willing to travel on site occasionally.

Sign-on Bonus Eligible

Collins Aerospace has an exciting opportunity for a proven Project Chief Engineer to lead, develop, and establish the required technology and infrastructure for the Integrated Platforms portfolio. This multi-faceted role will lead cross functional teams through development, integration, and test of Nuclear Command and Control (NC2) Communication Systems. The ideal candidate should be an established leader that can leverage proven experience integrating systems into DOD platforms. If you are a technical leader, business/tech savvy, and willing to push new boundaries, this is the role for you.

As our next Project Chief Engineer, you will learn from the best and brightest in the communications and mission systems integration domain working at Collins Aerospace. You will work across functions including project management, planning, and engineering teams across the product lifecycle. The project engineer coordinates the preparation of proposals, business plans, proposal work statements and specifications, operating budgets and financial terms/conditions of contracts.

What You Will Do:

• Serve as the technical design authority for CCSS projects.
• Ensure that operational plans, budgets, and staffing requirements for CCSS projects are prepared, maintained, and executed.
• Lead project controls by monitoring progress against plan and ensuring technical deliverables meet program cost, schedule, quality, and safety objectives.
• Establish Design Concepts, criteria, and engineering direction for product research, development, integration, and test within project scope.
• Ensure that verification, validation, and certification/qualification activities are planned and executed to meet customer and regulatory requirements.
• Drive timely resolution of technical and execution issues to minimize delays.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary technical interface for the Command and Control Switching Systems (CCSS) contract with General Management, Program Management, Customers, and suppliers, ensuring alignment between technical decisions, business objectives, and contractual obligations.
• Liaise between Senior Program Manager, Project Family Chief Engineer, project teams, and line management.
• Plan, oversee, and coordinate the administrative and operational aspects of ongoing projects within program guidelines.
• Monitor and assess project issues and develops resolutions to meet productivity, quality, and customer-satisfaction goals and objectives.
• Responsible for Engineering oversight and technical performance of program teams ranging from 5 – 10 FTE’s to larger programs consisting of 10 – 30 FTE’s.
• Apply RTX Lifecycle Program Management (RLPM) practices to plan, execute, and monitor program activities.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate integrated program plans that align with business objectives, support cross-functional collaboration, and ensure disciplined program performance across all lifecycle phases.
• Chair the Product Line Configuration Control Board (CCB) to manage, review, and approve configuration changes, ensuring consistent configuration control and alignment across all product line assets and requirements.
• Develop and deliver a comprehensive monthly Engineering Program Review that integrates status, progress, and key metrics within their area of responsibility.
• Develop and deliver engineering cost proposals that are accurate, defendable, and supported by historic program actuals, ensuring clear justification of cost elements and alignment with established estimating processes.

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Previous experience as a Project Engineer, Technical Program Manager, or Integrated Product Team Lead.
• Working knowledge of multiple engineering disciplines with a strong focus on communications systems development.
• Ability to communicate and make presentations to senior level leadership
• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 12 years prior relevant experience or an advanced degree in a related field and minimum 9 years of experience.
• Active and transferable U.S. government issued Top Secret security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Access (SCI) is required prior to start date.
• U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.
• Ability to travel up to 15% per year

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Active DoD TOP SECRET Security Clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Access (SCI).
• Knowledge and/or experience with Secure Voice Networks, including DRSN, CDRSN, WHSVN, VoSIP, and ECVoIP.
• Knowledge and/or experience with Presidential National Voice Conferencing.
• Knowledge and/or experience with senior leader communications systems and NC3 mission requirements.
• Knowledge and/or experience with integrating disparate voice systems and technologies.
• Progressive leadership in the design, development, test, and integration of electromechanical assemblies with embedded software.
• Experience using Agile methodologies for hardware and software development.
• Prior Cost Account Manager experience.
• Experience navigating competing priorities, delivering the highest level of engagement and delivering successful outcomes in critical situations.
• Experience leading projects and teams within a highly matrixed organization.
• Understanding of the configuration management process.
• Strong Project management skills using MS Office/MS Project/EVMS.
• Identification of risks early on and ability to manage/mitigate by leveraging Sr. Leadership Support.

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
• 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!

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.

Employee Referral Eligible

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.

#MISENG

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.

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