Senior Principal Acoustics Signal Processing Engineer

Prattwhitney; Middletown (RI); On-site; USD 132,000 - 252,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401(k) match

Paid time off

Job summary

RTX Corporation, a leading aerospace and defense company, is seeking a senior engineer to design and optimize advanced detection and classification algorithms for deployed sensor systems. You will work on real-time software, hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing, and performance‑critical architectures for embedded and server platforms.

The role requires a STEM PhD/MS/BS with extensive professional experience and active DoD Secret clearance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) discipline with 10+ years of professional experience; or Master’s with 7+ years; or Ph.D. with 5+ years.
• Experience with real-time software development in C/C++ and system design.
• Experience with MATLAB or similar for algorithm design, prototyping, and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Develop sophisticated algorithms for detection and classification in deployed systems.
• Optimize sensor system architectures and software for embedded and server hardware.
• Support real-time evaluation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and high-fidelity mission scenarios.
• Lead architecture decisions and mentor junior engineers within project lifecycles.

Skills

C/C++

MATLAB

Signal processing

Real-time systems

Education

B.S. in STEM, 10+ years

M.S. in STEM, 7+ years

Ph.D. in STEM, 5+ years

Tools

MATLAB

Job description

RTX Corporation 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 Systems, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. Its 185,000 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, VA. For more than 70 years, scientists and engineers in a wide ranging disciplines at RTX BBN Technologies have collaborated to solve real-world problems through research, exploration, development and prototyping. We partner with the best technical talent in academia and industry to challenge the status quo, pioneer new technologies, and create transformative solutions. Our culture enables all employees to find purpose, thrive, and succeed. By creating an environment where all opinions are valued, risk-taking is encouraged, and excellence is rewarded, we allow our employees to do their best, most important work. We offer industry-leading benefits including 100% paid tuition program, a generous 401k company match, a Retirement Contribution, performance-based incentive plans, an onsite gym and game room, paid parental leave, paid time off and all kinds of employee discounts.

The following position is to join our BBN Technologies team:

What You Will Do:

• Develop Sophisticated Algorithms: Design and evolve advanced detection and classification algorithms for start-of-the-art deployed systems.
• Optimize Sensor Systems: Design and implement complex software architectures specifically tailored to optimize sensor system capabilities.
• Mission-Critical Evaluation: Support the real-time evaluation and hardware-in-the-loop testing of your designs in realistic, high-fidelity mission scenarios.
• Maximize Architecture Performance: Optimize algorithm architecture and execution frameworks to achieve the highest possible computational performance on both embedded and server-based hardware platforms.

What You Will Learn:

• Undersea Defense Systems: Gain exposure to a wide variety of advanced undersea sensor systems, vehicle platforms, test methodologies, and end‑user needs.
• Cross-Functional System Integration: Learn how large-scale, complex sensor suites integrate real-time software with complex physical hardware environments.
• Technical Leadership: Scale your expertise by guiding architectural decisions and mentoring junior engineering talent within complex project lifecycles.

Qualifications You Must Have:

Bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) discipline plus 10 years of professional experience. Or Master’s degree plus 7 years of professional experience, or Ph.D. degree plus 5 years of professional experience.

Core Software Expertise:

Extensive, hands‑on development experience using C/C++ and advanced computer system design concepts to create software that executes in real-time.

Modeling & Simulation:

Extensive experience with MATLAB (or similar) programming for algorithm design, prototyping, and data analysis.

Signal Processing Foundation:

Extensive professional experience applying core and advanced Signal Processing concepts.

Mobility:

Willingness and ability to travel to support field testing, system evaluations, and customer integration events.

Security Clearance:

An active Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance is required.

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Acoustics Expertise: Prior experience working with underwater acoustics, sonar systems, or marine environment processing.
• Modern AI Pipelines: Experience implementing machine learning techniques directly utilized within a Detection, Classification, Localization, and Tracking (DCLT) pipeline.

Work Location: Onsite - Middletown, RI

Please consider the following role type definition as you apply for this role: 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 132,400 USD - 251,600 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.