Principal Engineer - Software Engineering (Onsite)

Date Posted: 2026-07-06 Country: United States of America Location: US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-182 ~ 1100 Cimmie Ave Ne ~ BLDG 182 Position Role Type: Onsite U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: This job requires a U.S. Person. A U.S. Person is a lawful permanent resident as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20) or who is a protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, U.S. permanent residents, or individuals granted refugee or asylee status in the U.S. are considered U.S. persons. For a complete definition of “U.S. Person” go here: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/chapter-I/subchapter-M/part-120/subpart-C/section-120.62 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. Collins Aerospace is currently seeking qualified candidates for a Principal Software engineer in our Military Avionics Flight Management Applications department located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Teams are comprised of cross-functional engineers working in an AGILE environment (approximately 6-10 people) focused on the design and development of software only products. The engineer that fills this role will support fixed and rotary wing platforms. This job is focused on the technical aspects of product development related to architectures as well as the design and development process.  Expectations include leading technical decisions that align with the highest standards in quality while maintaining a diverse product line portfolio and customer contracts. Our experienced engineers are involved in all aspects of the product life cycle, from bid and proposal to certification and support. This position requires the commitment of professional working hours that may require the employee to extend beyond a typical 7:30am to 4:30pm workday, or beyond a 40-hour work week.    Product Summary: CAAS/Flight 2 Flight Management Solutions - Our signature products for Military Avionics and Helicopters as part of the Collins Integrated Avionics Systems, fielded on thousands of aircraft today, at this moment. Specific capabilities include FMS (Flight Management Systems), Performance Application, System Manager, and Flight Plan Server (FPS). Please see the following links for more details:   https://www.rockwellcollins.com/Products-and-Services/Defense/Avionics/Integrated-Cockpit-Solutions/Common-Avionics-Architecture-System.aspx    https://www.rockwellcollins.com/Products-and-Services/Defense/Avionics/Integrated-Cockpit-Solutions/Flight2.aspx    What You Will Do: You will develop software for our fixed and rotary winged platforms as a member of the Flight Management Applications engineering team. You will provide mentorship and guidance to other members of the development team in software development best practices and how to solve our hardest technical challenges. You will implement and verify updates to the flight management software for fixed and rotary wing platforms. You will implement and verify updates to the graphical flight planning and display software for fixed and rotary wing platforms. You will communicate plans and status on your assigned stories to your agile team members, internal stakeholders, and external customers. You will coordinate with the platform engineering team and other software domain teams to identify and track dependencies for shared features. You will champion knowledge sharing, elevating department expertise through both formal training and informal mentoring. Willingness to travel (domestic and international What You Will Learn: You will take a program through the full software development cycle, starting with contract award and ending with black label production delivery. You will deepen your expertise in cutting-edge avionic systems, positioning you as a subject matter expert in military software applications. You will expand your impact on the field of avionics, contributing to software solutions that increase the operational capabilities of aircraft worldwide. 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. Experience in the design and development of deliverable software (production or consumer facing) role. Qualifications We Prefer: Defense or Aerospace industry experience DO-178 or similar certification-based development experience Avionics knowledge AGILE development experience   Ada or C/C++ coding experience Python scripting experience Demonstrated time management skills - ability to work unsupervised, multi-task, and coordinate work. Demonstrated management of the relationship between cost and value   Success in a team environment  Strong Technical Skills, specifically in systems-based development.   Excellent communication (written, verbal, and interpersonal).   What We Offer: Benefits:  Some of our competitive benefits package includes:     Medical, dental, and vision insurance    Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees    Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and separ