Engineering Director - Mission Systems IPT Chief Engineer

About the role

Collins Aerospace, an RTX company, is seeking an experienced technical and functional leader to serve as the Chief Engineer for the Mission System Integrated Product Team (IPT) on the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) program. This Director level leader is responsible for technical direction, subsystem development, subsystem integration, and subsystem-level test execution for the Mission System. The Mission System IPT is responsible for the development and maturation of all systems that collectively form the SAOC Mission System, which are subsequently integrated, verified, and validated by the Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test (SEIT) organization.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive-level technical leadership for Mission System subsystem development, integration, and subsystem-level testing.
• Serve as functional leader for all Project Engineers assigned to the Mission System IPT, ensuring proper staffing, mentoring, and performance oversight.
• Own the technical execution strategy of the Mission System IPT, ensuring subsystem performance meets cost, schedule, and technical baselines.
• Ensure subsystem requirements development, allocation, and verification planning align with engineering standards and the SEIT technical baseline.
• Oversee subsystem-level test strategy, readiness, and delivery of subsystem artifacts to SEIT for higher-level integration.
• Drive early identification of subsystem-level risks, integration issues, or requirement conflicts and lead timely resolution.
• Lead Mission System design reviews, readiness events, and technical interchange meetings with SEIT and other IPTs.
• Collaborate with Program Management to ensure alignment with EVMS, the integrated master schedule, risk and opportunity management, and cost account performance.
• Provide frequent technical status, performance metrics, and risk assessments to program leadership and customer counterparts.
• Promote engineering discipline, configuration control, and strong adherence to Collins and RTX development processes.

Requirements

• Active and transferable DoD Secret security clearance.
• U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.
• Ideally a Bachelor’s degree in STEM and at least 14 years engineering experience, or advanced degree with 12+ years relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience in systems engineering, subsystem development, integration, verification, validation, or test on major defense or aerospace programs.
• Experience leading engineering teams, project engineers, or cross-functional subsystem development groups.
• Experience with EVMS, technical baseline management, and structured risk and opportunity management.
• Strong ability to identify technical issues early and drive rapid cross-functional investigation and resolution.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including customer-facing interactions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership experience on complex, multi-year defense or aerospace development programs.
• Experience developing C4ISR mission systems or major aircraft mission equipment.
• Experience preparing subsystems for higher-level system integration and verification environments.
• Experience applying MBSE to subsystem development and verification planning.
• Experience leading multi-site or geographically distributed engineering teams.
• Advanced technical degree (M.S. or Ph.D.).
• Active and transferable DoD Top Secret security clearance.

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 coverage: 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

Pay

The salary range for this role is $186,200 – $353,800 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.