Date Posted:

2026-02-17

Country:

United States of America

Location:

US-IA-CEDAR RAPIDS-108 ~ 400 Collins Rd NE ~ BLDG 108

Position Role Type:

Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:

Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance

Security Clearance Type:

DoD Clearance: Secret

Security Clearance Status:

Active and existing security clearance required on day 1

Are you interested in joining an innovative and fast-paced technology team that positively impacts the Collin's organization? If so, then this is the job for you!

Joining Collins Aerospace isn’t just about finding a job; it’s about embarking on a journey to redefine the future of aerospace technology.

Collins Applied Research & Technology - Defense Technology seeks an Associate Director of Engineering to lead a team of Signal Processing and Positioning, Navigation & Timing (PNT) subject matter experts. In this role you will lead an engineering portfolio chartered with solving defense customers’ toughest connected battlespace challenges through inventing, developing, integrating, and demonstrating Signal Processing and PNT innovations. Your team will explore novel integrations & combinations with communications & datalink capabilities, artificial intelligence, resilient navigation, and cyber technologies. We pride ourselves on creativity, facing complex problems head on, and pushing the limits of the possible – all to provide the Warfighter with the most advanced communications and navigation capabilities to the Warfighter.

The person in this role should be self-motivated, serving as a key contributor to strategic planning, business development, and engagement across our stakeholders. The candidate should be comfortable collaborating with business partners, defense customers, and government stakeholders to solve hard problems and deliver innovations. 

What You Will Do:

Lead a team of highly innovative engineers in the invention, development, and demonstration of new signal processing/waveform/PNT concepts and capabilities.
Oversee the execution of externally funded technology programs and IR&D projects.
Lead collaboration with cross-discipline teams to integrate and demonstrate advanced signal processing & PNT capabilities.
Recruit, retain, and professionally develop engineering talent across the team.
Champion and execute signal processing & PNT technology roadmaps, maintaining awareness of technology and Collins’ competitive positions.
Work across the business to drive capture of technology programs.
Collaborate with major universities, small businesses, and DoW laboratories on groundbreaking research & demonstration projects.
Develop innovation strategies via collaboration with external agencies, internal customers and partner organizations across the company.
Collaborate with personnel across Collins and RTX to set strategic direction, support technology transition planning, and recommend projects for independent research & development (IR&D).
Develop and nurture internal and external networks, forging relationships with peers within Engineering, Business Development, and Program Management organizations.
Oversee portfolio resource allocation, including budget management, staffing projections, and laboratory capital expenditures.
Travel for customer and stakeholder engagements (up to 25%).

Qualifications You Must Have:

Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 12 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 10 years of experience
Active and transferable U.S. government issued Secret security clearance or higher is required prior to start date.
U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance
2+ years experience leading technical teams with a passion for challenging and developing people
6+ years experience with PNT technologies or physical layer signal-in-space waveforms
Experience supporting pursuit, order & capture activities.

Qualifications We Prefer:

8+ years experience in PNT technologies and physical layer signal-in-space waveforms.
Prior experience leading a team of technologists in an R&D environment.
Experience with US DoD 6.2 and 6.3 research organizations (DARPA, AFRL, ONR, NRL, ARL, etc.).
Experience leading pursuit, order & capture activities for government S&T programs.
Active and transferable U.S. government issued Top Secret with SCI security clearance prior to start date.
Special Access Programs experience.

What We Offer:
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Some of our competitive benefits package includes: 
• 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 coverages you can buy 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
• And more! 

Learn More and Apply Now:

Onsite: Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products.

As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remote.

The salary range for this role is 157,200 USD - 298,800 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.

Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.

Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.

This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.

RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

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Associate Director, Signal Processing & Positioning, Navigation & Timing (ONSITE)

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