Principal Software Engineer - Tools and Enablement (Onsite)

Date Posted: 2026-07-08 Country: United States of America Location: US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-131 ~ 5450 C Ave NE ~ BLDG 131 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. Do you have what it takes to   develop and   lead   an   innovative, forward thinking, highly motivated engineering design team ?     The Next Generation Processing Foundational Software team   is focused on the development of   micro c hip   solutions   that can be applied across a wide variety of Avionics products in safety critical commercial and military applications .    Our team   is responsible for   the development, certification and sustainment of these processing and graphics solutions.   The   foundation software team   has an opening for a n   Enablement Lead.   The Platform Software Enablement and Tools Lead is a key technical leadership role responsible for driving the strategy, development, and integration of the software platforms, toolchains, and automation capabilities that power modern engineering teams. This role ensures that developers have robust, scalable, and efficient tools to build, test, and deliver high‑quality software across   a   complex   sub   system. By combining deep technical   expertise   with strong cross‑functional collaboration, the Platform Software Enablement and Tools Lead serves as the central catalyst for improving engineering productivity, enhancing platform consistency, and enabling seamless end‑to‑end workflows.   What You Will Do:   Product Line Development Vision     Architect and lead delivery of the next‑generation product line processing platform, spanning boot, application, and RTOS software.   Ensure full compliance with DO‑178C DAL A standards across development, verification, and release.   Partner with cross‑functional teams to build efficient development processes and ensure successful platform implementation.   Automated Pipeline Integration   Lead integration of DAL‑A software into a GitLab-based pipeline that supports the complete DO‑178 lifecycle from planning to certification.   Develop Docker images to ensure consistent environments across cloud and target hardware.   Apply modern   CertDevOps   tools such as GitLab Pipelines (or Bamboo/Jenkins), static analysis, coverage tools, requirements verification, and timing‑analysis suites.   Optimize   and   maintain   CI/CD pipelines to improve reliability, traceability, and development velocity .   Lifecycle Environment   Maintenance     Design, debug, and document test   solutions   for product‑line test environments.   Debug avionics networking protocols.   Oversee   consistent configuration of test   equipment.   Build automation and test harnesses   to accelerate verification   and   maintain   automation .   Tools Development and Standardization     Develop and deliver training on processes, work instructions, and best practices for automated pipelines, test environments, and tooling .    Support development and certification of TQL‑5 tools .    Drive standardization of test harnesses, development tools, and engineering processes.   Create scripts to automate repetitive tasks and improve overall efficiency.   Leverage   AI capabilities to enhance engineering productivity and   optimize   schedules.   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 5+ years of   d emonstrated   experience leading   t ool ing   or software product development   teams in a safety‑critical or highly regulated environment     Experience with   CertDevOps   tools such as Bamboo, Jenkins, or GitLab.   Expertise   with automated tooling frameworks, virtualization, or containerized development environments such as Docker.   Strong   proficiency   in automation scripting (e.g., Python, Bash).   Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a proactive approach to continuous improvement.   Qualifications We Prefer:   Proven experience with DO‑178C DAL A certification processes and DO‑330 tool qualification   from early architecture through certification.   Hands‑on experience with embedded software development, real‑time operating systems, or avionics processing platforms   Strong knowledge of networking protocols (A429, CAN, AFDX, Ethernet).   Experience implementing AI‑based tooling, workflow automation, or advanced scheduling/efficiency optimization   What We Offer Some of our competitive benefits package include