Co-Op - AI DSP Applied Research

About the role

Are you ready to explore the world of aerospace and defense? Do you want to learn from and collaborate with some of the greatest minds in the industry? At RTX, our internships, co-ops and full-time careers provide an exceptional foundation to work on complex problems, advance your skills and create a safer, more connected world. Discover opportunities to make a difference at RTX. Location: US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-108 ~ 400 Collins Rd NE ~ BLDG 108. Role type: Onsite. Citizenship requirement: U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are authorized to access information under this program/contract. Security clearance: None/Not Required. Date posted: 2026-10-03.

Responsibilities

• Join a small, high‑impact team in Collins Aerospace’s Applied Research & Technology organization developing resilient networked mission systems for next generation aerospace and defense systems.
• Frame problems and test hypothesis with teammates into clear demonstration outcomes.
• Implement software or firmware AI algorithms / systems that pushes the edge of what is possible.
• Build and evolve prototypes—simulations, software, lab setups, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop— supporting defense technology missions.
• Design and run experiments, analyze data and use the results to iterate fast on concepts, models, and implementations.
• Support integration, test, and demo events—lab, field, or flight—to show capability, collect feedback, and refine designs.
• Contribute to proposals, white papers, and technical briefings that shape future research and development.

Qualifications

Must have:

• Pursuing an Advanced Degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering and actively enrolled through the completion of the internship/co-op session.
• Experience planning and executing experiments or evaluations and using data to drive design decisions.

Preferred:

• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering with published research or project work in networking, DSP, electronic warfare, or AI/ML.
• Experience in applied research or advanced development (roughly TRL 3–6) in aerospace, defense or cyber‑physical domains.
• Evidence of technical leadership in multi‑disciplinary efforts, or