Senior Principal Systems Engineer – Test Lead (ONSITE)

Collins Aerospace; Fullerton (CA); On-site; USD 146,000 - 277,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vacation and PTO

401(k) plan with employer matching

Job summary

Collins Aerospace, an RTX company, seeks a Senior Principal Systems Engineer - Test Lead to guide JPALS program test planning, integration, and verification of complex safety-critical systems. You will coordinate with systems engineering, software, hardware, flight test, and government stakeholders to ensure traceability and complete verification evidence.

The role requires extensive systems engineering experience, leadership across test activities, and strong MIL-STD knowledge.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in systems engineering and system-level test for complex, multi-subsystem mission systems.
• Expertise across the full system test lifecycle, including test planning, requirements analysis/traceability, environment development, procedure creation, execution, reporting, and certification.
• Proven leadership of test activities for aerospace or defense programs, including flight or shipboard test environments and platform integration considerations.
• Strong knowledge of MIL‑STD testing and verification/validation practices for mission systems.
• Ability to interpret and manage requirements, interface control documents, CONOPS, technical specifications, TRDs, and verification matrices.
• Skilled in coordinating with government stakeholders, range personnel, and operational units; proficient with Digital Engineering tools (DOORS, Cameo, Jira, Confluence, Microsoft Office).
• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 10 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 7 years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical leader for all developmental, integration, flight, and operational test activities for the JPALS program.
• Develop detailed test plans, procedures, schedules, and data collection strategies for laboratory, field, and shipboard testing.
• Lead multidisciplinary test teams, coordinating efforts across engineering, operations, manufacturing, and subcontractor partners.
• Manage test readiness reviews, safety reviews, range coordination, and instrumentation planning.
• Oversee execution of complex test events, ensuring adherence to safety, configuration control, and program requirements.
• Rapidly assess issues discovered during testing, drive root-cause analysis, and coordinate resolution paths with engineering teams.
• Maintain traceability of verification activities to system requirements, ensuring complete, compliant, and well-documented evidence.
• Prepare and deliver clear reports, briefings, and formal documentation for internal leadership and customer stakeholders.

Skills

Systems engineering

Test planning

Test execution

Leadership

Requirements analysis

Traceability

Risk assessment

DOORS

Cameo

Jira

Confluence

Microsoft Office

Flight test

Education

STEM degree

Advanced degree (MS/PhD)

Tools

DOORS

Cameo

Jira

Confluence

Microsoft Office

Job description

Location: US-CA-FULLERTON-676 ~ 1801 Hughes Dr ~ BLDG 676

Date Posted: 2026-09-30

Country: United States of America

Position Role Type: Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance

Security Clearance Type: DoD Clearance: Secret

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

Raytheon Company, Managed By Collins Aerospace

Collins Aerospace, an RTX company, 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 is looking for an experienced Senior Principal Systems Engineer - Test Lead who is passionate about solving complex problems and wants to make a real impact on the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) and adjacent programs. In this role, you will be leading all system-level test planning, coordination, execution, and reporting activities for the JPALS program. This role is responsible for ensuring successful verification of complex, safety‑critical, integrated hardware/software systems used in demanding operational environments. The Test Lead works closely with systems engineering, software, hardware, specialty engineering, flight test organizations, and government stakeholders.

What You Will Do

• Serve as the primary technical leader for all developmental, integration, flight, and operational test activities for the JPALS program
• Develop detailed test plans, procedures, schedules, and data collection strategies for laboratory, field, and shipboard testing
• Lead multidisciplinary test teams, coordinating efforts across engineering, operations, manufacturing, and subcontractor partners
• Manage test readiness reviews, safety reviews, range coordination, and instrumentation planning
• Oversee execution of complex test events, ensuring adherence to safety, configuration control, and program requirements
• Rapidly assess issues discovered during testing, drive root-cause analysis, and coordinate resolution paths with engineering teams
• Maintain traceability of verification activities to system requirements, ensuring complete, compliant, and well-documented evidence
• Prepare and deliver clear reports, briefings, and formal documentation for internal leadership and customer stakeholders

Qualifications You Must Have

• Extensive experience in systems engineering and system-level test for complex, multi‑subsystem mission systems
• Expertise across the full system test lifecycle, including test planning, requirements analysis/traceability, environment development, procedure creation, execution, reporting, and certification
• Proven leadership of test activities for aerospace or defense programs, including flight or shipboard test environments and platform integration considerations
• Strong knowledge of MIL‑STD testing and verification/validation practices for mission systems
• Ability to interpret and manage requirements, interface control documents, CONOPS, technical specifications, TRDs, and verification matrices
• Skilled in coordinating with government stakeholders, range personnel, and operational units; proficient with Digital Engineering tools (DOORS, Cameo, Jira, Confluence, Microsoft Office)
• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 10 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 7 years of experience

Qualifications We Prefer

• Strong understanding of GPS/GNSS-based systems, RF signal processing, differential corrections, or navigation performance metrics
• Strong understanding of systems engineering principles and lifecycle (concept - design - integration - verification - validation)
• Ability to understand how system components interact
• Ability to identify requirement gaps, inconsistencies, conflicts, or duplication
• Problem/Defect identification, reporting, and resolution
• Exposure to Agile development workflows (Jira, Confluence)
• Familiarity with Verification Cross‑Reference Matrices (VCRM), TRDs, or Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) artifacts

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 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
• This position is eligible for relocation assistance
• And more!

Learn More & Apply Now!

Do you want to be a part of something bigger? A team whose impact stretches across the world, and even beyond? At Collins Aerospace, our Mission Systems team helps civilian, military and government customers complete their most complex missions — whatever and wherever they may be. Our customers depend on us for intelligent and secure communications, missionized systems for specialized aircraft and spacecraft and collaborative space solutions. By joining our team, you’ll have your own critical part to play in ensuring our customer succeeds today while anticipating their needs for tomorrow. Are you up for the challenge? Join our mission today.

Please ensure the role type (defined below) is appropriate for your needs before applying to 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.

Employee Referral Eligible

#MISENG

The salary range for this role is 145,600 USD - 276,800 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.

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