Senior Principal Software Project Engineer - Advanced Processing Architectures

Collins Aerospace; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 132,000 - 252,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Three weeks of vacation

Job summary

Collins Aerospace is seeking a Senior Principal Software Project Engineer to lead software delivery for next‑generation avionics platforms. You will partner with systems, software, electrical, mechanical, and specialty engineers to drive disciplined software execution on clean-sheet designs.

You will manage planning, coordination, and technical direction of software deliverables, ensuring lifecycle completeness, certification readiness, and high-quality outcomes while coordinating with program

Qualifications

• Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 10 years prior relevant experience.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without visa sponsorship.
• Ability to lead large software or multi‑discipline engineering teams with complex interdependencies.
• Experience in software development, integration, verification, or systems‑level coordination of software deliverables.
• Experience managing technical software projects including schedule execution, risk management, issue resolution, and customer interaction.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily execution of software engineering activities across planning, development, integration, verification, and sustainment.
• Ensure consistency across software requirements, interfaces, ICDs, configuration baselines, and engineering artifacts.
• Work under the technical direction of the Project Chief Engineer.
• Drive alignment across systems, software, hardware, and integration teams to ensure cohesive and predictable execution.

Skills

Software project leadership

Systems-level thinking

Software lifecycle knowledge

Cross-functional coordination

Program management liaison

Education

University degree

Advanced degree

Tools

CI/CD

Lab testing environments

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-09-10

Country: United States of America

Location: US-FL-MELBOURNE-313 ~ 1344 S Babcock St ~ BLDG 313

Position Role Type: Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the company’s immigration sponsorship now or in the future. The company will not offer immigration sponsorship for this position. The company will not seek an export authorization for this role.

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.

The Avionics Computing Products team has an opening for a Senior Principal Software Project Engineer (P5). As a pivotal member of the department, you will partner with systems, software, electrical, mechanical, and specialty engineers to drive disciplined software execution on a clean sheet design. You will lead the planning, coordination, and technical direction of software deliverables that enable next‑generation commercial avionics platforms. You will bring strong software lifecycle knowledge together with systems‑level thinking to ensure predictable, high‑quality technical outcomes. As the engineering project leader for assigned software work packages, you will serve as the primary point of contact for technical leadership and project execution within the guidelines set by program leadership and Chief Engineers. This role requires an ability to navigate complex software dependencies, lifecycle workflows, integration environments, and certification‑aligned development processes while coordinating closely with program management, peer engineers, and customers.

What You Will Do

• Lead daily execution of software engineering activities across planning, development, integration, verification, and sustainment.
• Ensure consistency across software requirements, interfaces, ICDs, configuration baselines, and engineering artifacts.
• Work under the technical direction of the Project Chief Engineer.
• Drive alignment across systems, software, hardware, and integration teams to ensure cohesive and predictable execution.

Project Planning, Execution & Controls

• Develop detailed software plans including named tasks, resource needs, schedules, and cost estimates.
• Lead execution of IMS, ISAT, Work Packages, and software engineering backlogs.
• Identify cost, schedule, and technical risks early; recommend mitigation strategies and lead recovery efforts when needed.
• Define and maintain software task sequencing, dependencies, and integration touchpoints.

Software Integration, Verification & Dependency Management

• Coordinate software integration events, lab activities, and test plans aligned with verification, validation, and certification workflows.
• Maintain disciplined weekly tracking of giver/receiver dependencies, ensuring upstream and downstream teams remain synchronized.
• Guide teams in resolving software defects, integration issues, and technical blockers to maintain schedule fidelity.

Scope Definition, Proposals & Customer Engagement

• Support technical inputs for bids, proposals, SOWs, and customer presentations related to software scope.
• Ensure software assumptions, constraints, deliverables, and risk positions are clearly articulated.
• Represent software engineering status, challenges, and milestones confidently to program leadership and customers.

Communication, Reporting & Team Cadence

• Deliver clear, concise software project status to Project Chief Engineers, Program Management, and key stakeholders.
• Ensure software risks, issues, and dependencies are visible and tracked to closure.
• Lead weekly software cadence meetings, distributing high‑quality written summaries of tasks, forecasts, and critical actions.
• Provide strategic guidance when schedule or scope pressures arise, enabling the team to stay aligned with program milestones.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 10 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 7 years of experience.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the company’s immigration sponsorship now or in the future. The company will not offer immigration sponsorship for this position. The company will not seek an export authorization for this role
• Able to lead large software or multi‑discipline engineering teams with complex interdependencies.
• Experience in software development, integration, verification, or systems‑level coordination of software deliverables.
• Experience managing technical software projects including schedule execution, risk management, issue resolution, and customer interaction.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Experience meeting engineering goals, commitments, and schedule targets.
• Able of working with individual contributors, senior engineers, program leadership, and external customers.
• Experience with avionics regulatory and certification workflows (DO‑178C, DO‑160, ARP4754A, DO‑297).
• Background in embedded software, real‑time operating systems, or avionics processing platforms.
• Experience with software integration labs, automated test environments, or CI‑aligned verification workflows.
• Leading customer discussions, proposals, technical reviews, and bid strategy.
• Ability to balance software performance, safety, and affordability within project constraints.
• Ability to mentor, influence, and drive team performance in a highly collaborative engineering environment.

What We Offer

• 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 coverages you can buy pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance,critical illnessinsurance, group legal, ID theft protection
• Birth, adoption, parental leave benefits
• Carrot Health to hormonal health, fertility, and family building
• 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!

Eligible for relocation.

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.

Privacy Policy and Terms:

Click on this link to read the Policy and Terms