Principal Software Engineer (onsite)

Principal Software Engineer

Collins Aerospace is looking for a Principal Software Engineer ready to shape the future. Join our Integrated Flight – Advanced Flight Management Engineering team in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and play a key role in building the next era of aviation.

As a Principal Software Engineer, you'll leverage the latest in AI-driven development to build the precision, safety, and intelligence behind tomorrow's commercial, business, and military Flight Decks. You won't just be supporting technology; you'll be shaping it—engineering avionics solutions trusted in the most demanding environments on the planet. Our Next Generation engineering team is redefining what's possible in modern avionics, building next-generation flight technologies that push the boundaries of speed, safety, autonomy, and intelligence. From advanced flight-management software and high-performance embedded systems to intelligent sensor fusion, real-time avionics networks, and autonomous mission platforms, we design the systems that power the aircraft of the future. Our technology sits at the crossroads of aerospace, AI, and high-reliability computing—turning bold ideas into dependable systems trusted in the sky every day.

We're a team of engineers, innovators, and aviation enthusiasts who thrive on solving complex problems with elegant, high-impact solutions. Our culture blends deep technical rigor with a startup-like energy—rapid iteration, hands-on experimentation, and a passion for building things that fly. If you want to work on sleek, modern avionics products, experiment with cutting-edge technologies, and help shape the future of intelligent flight systems, this is the place to do it.

This is an onsite position based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

What You Will Do:

• Design, develop, and optimize embedded flight management software applications used in commercial and military platforms.
• Design and implement modular and reusable Flight Management product line software.
• Lead the teams in developing the physics-based software related to aircraft performance.
• Collaborate closely with systems engineers, hardware teams, AI/ML specialists, and flight-test personnel to deliver integrated avionics solutions that meet stringent aviation safety, performance, and certification requirements.

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 8 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 5 years of experience
• Applied experience of software development using C++, Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOA/D).
• Experience in developing physics-based software and modeling the aircraft performance using modeling tools such as Matlab/Simulink and other flight simulation tools.

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Working knowledge and application of neural networks in aerospace domain.
• Working Experience with DevOps, Jenkins and automated testing.
• Familiar with tools such as GIT, JIRA, Visual Studio Code, Docker, Jama.

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 illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection
• Birth, adoption, 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
• And more!

The salary range for this role is 107,500 USD - 204,500 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.