Senior Systems Engineer – SOA CAAS Mainline Platform (Onsite)

Prattwhitney; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 87,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Vacation (3 weeks)

401(k) match

TuitionReimbursement

Student loan repayment

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Adoption assistance

Job summary

RTX in Cedar Rapids, IA seeks a Senior Systems Engineer to support the development, integration, verification and testing of advanced avionics for U.S. Army helicopters. You will own requirements from customer needs through verification and airworthiness activities, collaborating across engineering teams.

This hands-on role requires strong systems engineering discipline, experience with MIL‑STD interfaces, and the ability to travel (~15%). U.S.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 5 years of prior relevant experience.
• Advanced Degree in a related field with a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience is acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Develop, decompose, allocate, review, and maintain system requirements for integrated military avionics capabilities.
• Translate customer and operational needs into clear, testable system requirements.
• Develop verification methods, test procedures, and requirements-based verification products.
• Perform system integration and testing within Systems Integration Laboratories (SILs).
• Collaborate with architecture, software, hardware, Safety, Cybersecurity, Airworthiness, Test, Program Management, and other engineering organizations.

Skills

Systems engineering

Requirements decomposition

Verification & validation

Test engineering

DoD security clearance

Requirements traceability

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Engineering lifecycle tools

Education

STEM degree

Advanced degree (preferred)

Tools

DOORS

JIRA

PREP

Job description

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.

Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States. Position type: Onsite. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance. The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required. Security Clearance Type: DoD Clearance: Secret. Security Clearance Status: Active and existing security clearance required after day 1.

We are seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to support the development, integration, verification, and testing of advanced avionics capabilities for U.S. Army MH‑47 and MH‑60 helicopters. The selected engineer will join our Platform Systems Engineering team and work across the engineering lifecycle—from understanding customer and operational needs and developing system requirements through integration, verification, troubleshooting, and aircraft testing. This is a hands‑on systems engineering position for an experienced engineer who enjoys solving complex technical problems, working across engineering disciplines, and seeing their work progress from initial requirement through implementation and test.

What You Will Do

• Develop, decompose, allocate, review, and maintain system requirements for integrated military avionics capabilities.
• Translate customer and operational needs into clear, testable system requirements.
• Develop and maintain engineering artifacts supporting system design, integration, verification, qualification, and airworthiness activities.
• Develop verification methods, test procedures, and requirements‑based verification products.
• Perform system integration and testing within Systems Integration Laboratories (SILs).
• Plan and execute informal and formal verification, robustness testing, and other engineering test activities.
• Troubleshoot complex technical issues involving software, hardware, aircraft interfaces, communications, displays, and other integrated avionics functions.
• Investigate defects, perform root‑cause analysis, and coordinate technical resolution across engineering disciplines.
• Support aircraft and flight‑test activities, including test preparation, execution, data evaluation, and troubleshooting.
• Independently own assigned engineering activities and drive them from initial definition through technical closure.
• Collaborate with architecture, software, hardware, Safety, Cybersecurity, Airworthiness, Test, Program Management, and other engineering organizations.
• Communicate technical findings, risks, trade‑offs, and recommendations to engineering leadership and customer representatives.
• Participate in technical and design reviews and represent Platform Systems Engineering for assigned technical areas.
• Support technical planning, engineering estimates, ROMs, proposals, and future program pursuits.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to less‑experienced engineers.
• Identify and support opportunities to improve engineering processes, tools, documentation, and team execution.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 5 years of prior relevant experience, or an Advanced Degree in a related field and a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience.
• Experience in systems engineering, system integration, verification and validation, test engineering, or development of complex systems.
• Experience developing, analyzing, decomposing, or verifying technical requirements.
• Experience independently executing technical assignments and resolving complex engineering problems.
• U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance.
• Ability to travel in support of program, integration, and aircraft‑test activities (~15%).

Qualifications We Prefer

• Experience with military or commercial avionics systems.
• Experience with rotary‑wing aircraft or integrated aircraft systems.
• Experience with H‑47 or H‑60 aircraft platforms.
• Experience with integrated cockpit, mission‑system, or flight‑deck development.
• Experience with requirements development, decomposition, traceability, and requirements‑based verification.
• Experience developing and executing engineering test procedures.
• Experience working in a Systems Integration Laboratory, integration lab, aircraft‑test, or flight‑test environment.
• Experience troubleshooting integrated hardware/software systems.
• Familiarity with avionics interfaces such as MIL‑STD‑1553, ARINC429, Ethernet, or similar communication protocols.
• Experience supporting system qualification, airworthiness, or certification activities.
• Experience with engineering lifecycle tools such as DOORS, JIRA, PREP, or similar tools.
• Experience working directly with government or military customers.
• Experience communicating technical recommendations, risks, and trade‑offs to technical leadership and customers.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor or provide technical guidance to less‑experienced engineers.

What We Offer (Benefits)

• 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!

The salary range for this role is 86,800USD -165,200USD. 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.

RTX 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, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. Its 195,000 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, Virginia.