Principal Engineer - Design Quality Assurance (Onsite - Cedar Rapids, IA)

Date Posted: 2026-08-17 | Location: Cedar Rapids, IA (onsite) | U.S. citizenship required for security clearance (Secret, active or obtainable).

About the Role

Collins Aerospace Engineering & Technology is seeking a Principal Engineer – Design Quality Assurance to enable quality solutions, capabilities, and services within engineering. This role is embedded throughout the engineering lifecycle to prevent defects, ensure flawless program execution, and meet quality, cost, schedule, and technical objectives. You will work closely with stakeholders to ensure the quality of new design products and drive continual improvement.

Responsibilities

• Interface with program quality teams, programs, customers, and Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) to facilitate technical quality, financial performance, and compliance with procedures and contractual requirements.
• Establish effective relationships with external and internal customers and key partners.
• Manage and influence stakeholders across multiple levels to address quality risks, uncertainties, and opportunities.
• Ensure inclusion of quality requirements, planning, and consistency for program proposals and subsequent management of the quality budget.
• Monitor and lead root cause corrective action (RCCA) and FRACAS activities for systemic issues.
• Generate new Cost of Quality (CoQ) projects to reduce program costs.
• Implement Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) as applicable.
• Communicate quality risks and resolutions to stakeholders and customers.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship (required for security clearance).
• Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) with a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, or an Advanced Degree with a minimum of 5 years of experience.
• Experience with Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001, AS9100, and/or AS9102).
• Experience overseeing teams in failure and root cause analysis (RCA), corrective and preventive actions.
• Experience interpreting technical drawings.
• Experience with customer deliverables.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance.
• Experience with software coding, testing, Agile, DevOps, DevSecOps, code analysis, or test automation.
• Knowledge of software test, cybersecurity, software, or information assurance.
• Basis of Estimate and proposal experience.
• Experience with Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP)/AS9145, including Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), Key Characteristics, Design Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (DFMEA), Production Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (PFMEA), and Control Plans.
• Experience with Customer Oriented Results and Excellence (CORE) or another Continuous Improvement Program.
• Experience presenting, reviewing, or approving changes through a formal Change Control Board (CCB).
• Knowledge of phases of the development life cycle.
• Demonstrated applied critical thinking skills.
• Ability to influence without authority and work in cross-functional teams.
• Ability to prioritize workload in a multi-tasking, resource-constrained environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees.
• Generous 401(k) plan with 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: pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection.
• Birth, adoption, and parental leave benefits.
• Ovia Health (fertility and family planning).
• Adoption Assistance.
• Autism Benefit.
• Employee Assistance Plan (up to 10 free counseling sessions).
• Wellness rewards program (Healthy You Incentives).
• Virtual doctor visits (Doctor on Demand).
• Second opinion program (Teladoc Medical Experts).

Pay

The salary range for this role is $107,500 – $204,500 USD. The range reflects all experience levels, and RTX considers factors such as role, function, responsibilities, work experience, location, education/training, and key skills when extending an offer.