Senior Principal Project Engineer - Chief Engineer (ONSITE)

Prattwhitney; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 132,400 - 251,600; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign‑On Bonus Eligible

Relocation assistance

Healthcare benefits

Vacation & time off

Tuition reimbursement

Life & disability insurance

Employee assistance program

Wellness programs

Education reimbursement

Flexible work options

Job summary

Collins Aerospace, an RTX company, located in Cedar Rapids, IA, seeks a Senior Principal Project Engineer – Chief Engineer to lead Open Systems Solutions product development as the technical design authority. This onsite role requires U.S.

citizenship and a Secret clearance with potential Top Secret eligibility. You will drive architecture, coordinate multi‑discipline teams, and manage plans, schedules, and risks while interfacing with customers and suppliers.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in systems, software, or multidisciplinary engineering leadership roles.
• Proven authority in leading technical direction, architecture definition, and cross‑functional integration on complex programs.
• Proven experience planning and executing engineering scope, including WBS, schedules, and project controls.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical design authority for OSS products ensuring architecture aligns with strategy.
• Lead cross‑discipline integration across systems, software, electrical, mechanical, and specialty engineering.
• Develop and manage engineering plans, schedules, estimates, and controls.
• Coordinate technical content for proposals, business cases, specifications, and contract commitments.
• Set design direction and oversee development, integration, verification, and qualification activities.
• Identify issues, drive timely resolution, and maintain execution to cost, schedule, and performance targets.
• Coordinate resources with functional leaders to apply the right engineering skillsets.
• Act as primary technical interface for program leadership, customers, and suppliers.
• Travel up to 25%.

Skills

Systems engineering leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Technical design authority

Project planning & controls

Risk & opportunity management

AMS GRA experience

Agile execution

Education

STEM degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

JIRA

Confluence

Job description

Senior Principal Project Engineer – Chief Engineer

Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Onsite role. U.S. citizenship required; existing Secret clearance required.

Overview

The Open Systems Solutions (OSS) Products Team seeks a Senior Principal Project Engineer – Chief Engineer to lead next‑generation Open System Architecture product development. The role serves as the technical design authority and engineering leader for critical mission platforms within Collins Aerospace, an RTX company.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical design authority for the Multi‑Function Processing & Secure Solutions Products within OSS, ensuring architecture and decisions align with program and product line strategy.
• Lead cross‑discipline integration across systems, software, electrical, mechanical, and specialty engineering.
• Develop and manage engineering plans, including scope, schedules, estimates, and project controls.
• Coordinate technical content for proposals, business cases, specifications, and contract commitments.
• Set design direction and oversee development, integration, verification, validation, and qualification activities.
• Identify issues, drive timely resolution, and maintain execution alignment to cost, schedule, and performance targets.
• Coordinate resources and partner with functional leaders to ensure the right engineering skillsets are applied.
• Act as the primary technical interface for program leadership, customers, and suppliers.
• Travel up to 25% required.

Qualifications – Must Have

• Extensive experience in systems, software, or multidisciplinary engineering leadership roles.
• Demonstrated authority in leading technical direction, architecture definition, and cross‑functional integration on complex programs.
• Proven experience planning and executing engineering scope, including work breakdown structures, estimates, schedules, and project controls.
• Strong background in technical risk and opportunity management, issue resolution, and execution within cost, schedule, and quality targets.
• Experience leading verification, validation, and qualification activities for mission‑critical systems.
• Proven ability to collaborate with program management, customers, and suppliers in a high‑visibility technical leadership capacity.
• Experience with Agile Mission Suite Government Reference Architecture (AMS GRA).
• Active and transferable Secret U.S. government‑issued security clearance is required prior to start date, with the ability to obtain Top Secret after start date.
• U.S. citizenship only (dual citizenship not permitted) is required.
• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 10years of relevant experience, or an advanced degree in a related field and minimum 7years of experience.

Qualifications – Preferred

• Prior technical leadership experience as a Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, or equivalent architecture/ownership role.
• Experience with mission systems, avionics, or other complex, integrated software/hardware product families.
• Demonstrated success driving engineering strategy, process improvements, and architectural cohesion across large programs or portfolios.
• Background in supporting proposals, business plans, or contract negotiations for technically complex systems.
• Knowledge of regulatory, certification, or qualification requirements applicable to mission products.
• Ability to lead and influence without direct authority across engineering functions.
• Experience leading within an agile execution model with knowledge and experience in agile tools such as JIRA & Confluence.

Sign‑On Bonus Eligible

Eligible for sign‑on bonus.

Salary

Salary range for this role is 132,400 USD – 251,600 USD.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees.
• Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and a separate employer retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option.
• Tuition reimbursement program.
• Student Loan Repayment Program.
• Life insurance and disability coverage.
• Optional coverages: pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection.
• Birth, adoption, and 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.
• Employee referral eligible.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.